Model Railroading > Modeling 45' UPS trailers in HO

Modeling 45' UPS trailers in HO The trailers are not correct and I need to find a better smaller rib that runs on side of trailers, Has any one made these and what did you use.

---

---

---

more

---

---

Those are nice looking models!

FYI there was an excellent series of articles on modeling UPS Trailers in the late 1990's IIRC in Model Railroading or Model Rail Journal magazine, I can't remember the details. I suggest you search Trainlife www.trainlife.com where there are digitized versions of magazines such as MRG for you to peruse and find the articles. You can search the issues they have, and check the table of contents, but the article spanned 3 or more issues and covered drop frame trailers, and the more modern Martac 48 and 53 foot trailers as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/12 12:18 by SPDRGWfan.

Nice modeling. But to be really prototypical, you need to put patches on the roofs to simulate where the
nitwits at the railyard put holes in them with the piggypackers. I've yet to see a railbox without them.

Edit: Also of note: The marker lights on the 636xxx and 637xxx trailers (those with swing doors) are on the bottom between the tail lights.

rfprr



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/12 14:48 by rfprr.

Here is one article I found:

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/482/35190/january-1998-page-52

These may not be the same as above, and don't have that newer 3D shield logo but good article. I'm pretty sure there are more articles but this is January and February 1998 issues of Model Railroading.

Wow, great models you have there!
For the Martrac trailer I did, I used Plastruct #90531 (CFS-2). It's a 1/16" (1.6 mm) channel. On another, I cheated and just used a flat strip rather than a channel and it didn't look too bad either. The idea with these is to make it subtle and not stick out that far from the body.
So what did you use for the spray skirts?
Also, UPS will have all black mudflaps- no trailer logos.
Please keep us posted... this is a hot topic for us pig modelers!

Here is another intermodal truck article for "modern" trailers, not UPS but fyi:

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/423/31084/november-1996-page-50

If I recall, those articles used the McKean 45' trailers with rebuilt doors on the rear end, amongst other changes.

- Jeff Carlson

Here is another Model Railroading article, this time UPS drop frame pup trailers - August 1996 issue.

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/420/30840/august-1996-page-46

Another article on the UPS drop frame short trailers:

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/416/30543/april-1996-page-53

Introduction to Intermodal UPS Part 1:

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/414/30384/february-1996-page-54

Introduction article to UPS Part 2:

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/416/30543/april-1996-page-53



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/12 14:59 by SPDRGWfan.

bnsfsd70 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If I recall, those articles used the McKean 45'
> trailers with rebuilt doors on the rear end,
> amongst other changes.
>
> - Jeff Carlson

Now that's a good idea.!
The H.O. Scale 45 footers in the pictures look like athearn 96"inch wide trailers, instead of the prototypical 102"inch wide trailers.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Not that I'm trying to shoot you down, they look awesome! And 99% of the crowd wouldn't even notice.

I built a 45' trailer using the Accurail (used to be McKean) trailer with scratchbuilt doors and an A-Line floor following the articles in MRG. I left off the extra rib as being unnecessary for my mid-90's era.

I've also got a mostly built Stoughton UPOZ based on a Walthers 48' trailer that swapped doors with a Rail Power Products 28' trailer (which also gives you an ABF trailer) and gained a scratchbuilt rear bumper. I've never finished it mostly because it's too late for a pure Santa Fe layout, rather being an early BNSF model...

Neither kitbash is too difficult.

Nathan Beauheim
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/12 17:43 by nathan314.

---

---

How did you do the skirts on the sides. I have tried for years to no avail.

They are womens eye lashes buy then on ebay from China very cheap

Posted from Android

I forgot while I was photographing earlier (thinking just UPS), that I also built a Martrac reefer off the MRG articles. This is probably the easiest build: the old Athearn 45' trailer, modified Athearn reefer unit, and A-Line fuel tanks, wheels, and decals.

Nathan Beauheim
Cheyenne, WY

---