Model Railroading > Building a Santa Fe company-service trailer

Wednesday night, I began AND completed this model of an old, Santa Fe company-service trailer with that classic wing logo holding on for dear life.

This is an old Walthers trailer that I added a few details to which made a huge difference in the $7 trailer's appearance. I added a landing gear handle, and two cables under the floor from brass wire. The mud flaps came from some old A-Line parts that I had laying around and the whole underframe was painted with flat black paint.

The hubcaps and brake lights were both painted with artist's acrylics and add a ton to the appearance.

The weathering was done by fading the letters with 400-grit sanding sticks, a layer of dull coat, a few layers of chalks, and more dull coat.

Huzzah! One night of work makes for a good looking model for less than $10.

Thanks for looking!
- Jeff Carlson

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super job look great for a company service truck

That looks like the old 40' Walthers trailer. I've never seen a photo of a prototype for it. Anyone have photo's of the real thing?

Cheers, Jim

Very nice work! I think you captured the look of a worn-out trailer!

The old Walthers, previously Cox, trailer which doesnt have a prototype, however it is well designed and fits in well.


The modeler of this unit may wish to add color to the marker lamps on the front bulkhead (amber), and the lights and reflectors on the side (front and middle amber, rear red), as well as the five rear lamps above the doors (all red).

Michael

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> That looks like the old 40' Walthers trailer.
> I've never seen a photo of a prototype for it.
> Anyone have photo's of the real thing?
>
> Cheers, Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/17 11:15 by emd_mrs1.

emd_mrs1 Wrote:
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> The modeler of this unit may wish to add color to
> the marker lamps on the front bulkhead (amber),
> and the lights and reflectors on the side (front
> and middle amber, rear red), as well as the five
> rear lamps above the doors (all red).
>
> Michael

I thought about that and will definitely look into it. I'm just not terribly familiar with trailer details. Thanks!

- Jeff

Just park it in the corner of a lot and make it look like it hasn't moved in awhile.

That's the plan!

Thanks a lot for the kind words, everyone!

- Jeff Carlson

PHall Wrote:
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> Just park it in the corner of a lot and make it
> look like it hasn't moved in awhile.

emd_mrs1 Wrote:
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> The old Walthers, previously Cox, trailer which
> doesnt have a prototype

> Michael

That has been my understanding too, but I wasn't 100% sure. I've got a number of the Athearn Fruehauf ATSF trailers with the similar logo.

The trailer as modeled above looks like it would fit in a lot where it is being used as storage and has been long retired.

Cheers, Jim

Excellent work. Looks awesome.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Jim: these are not my photos, but might be what you're looking for.

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lizzard45 Wrote:
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> Jim: these are not my photos, but might be what
> you're looking for.

Did you find those on the Qstation site? I've had it bookmarked for the past 8 or 9 years. There is a ton of ATSF photo's there including a lot of piggy pack trailers including a lot of Fruehauf. Athearn just offered the white version in the last run, and did a couple of beaded side runs and a Exterior Post run with the same logo.

Cheers, Jim Fitch