Athearn to make a UPS Box Van

[James Costello]

Arrowhead Models makes the trailers in N in cast resin. I got them on Ebay for $7 each. You have to glue on the wheels and paint yourself though.

I know, I have several scheduled somewhere on the project list. I'd rather I didn't have to try and make my own UPS decals though....

It would be nice if someone even made a "Parcel Service United" decal for the 80s-90s like A-Line in HO. Pity they've had no interest in N....

[cfritschle]

I think having a UPS licensed model in N scale is very significant.  I cannot recall where it has ever been done before.  Remember those United Postal Service trailers from Con-Cor? 

Thank you Richie for posting the prototype photos and I am amazed that a Ford C survived long enough to get repainted into the new UPS paint scheme, since the last one rolled off the Ford assembly line in June of 1990! 

However, I wonder if anyone will tell Athearn that UPS does not allow the truck manufacturers’ name to appear on the truck.

Carter

[SkipGear]

I have drawn up the early logo and the modern logo. I don't have the 80's version yet.

[James Costello]

I have drawn up the early logo and the modern logo. I don't have the 80's version yet.

Are you taking orders Tony? 

[GaryHinshaw]

Maybe I missed it, but is there even one known example of a Ford box van with the bow tie logo and a URL/globe?  How about one with the new logo and URL/globe?  Why do manufacturers so often favor the obscure over the common?

-gfh

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving! 

[up1950s]

Are you taking orders Tony? 

Ditto

[bbussey]

I think having a UPS licensed model in N scale is very significant.  I cannot recall where it has ever been done before. 

I totally agree.  I think the most significant aspect of this release is that UPS is now licensing its images for models.  That bodes well for future UPS models that are prototypical for the various earlier eras.
 

[SkipGear]

 I did these in HO to stick on one of the Atlas panel vans before Norscot came out with their correct truck. I'll scale them down and set up a more formal sheet this weekend. I need to remember if I just printed them in gold or gold with and overlay of yellow to tone them down.

Here is the only shot I have of the HO truck. It doesn't show the logo very good.

[up1950s]

Thanks Tony .

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I am very interested in the decals but would really like the global logo as well. Any chance of that happening ?

[DKS]

Maybe I missed it, but is there even one known example of a Ford box van with the bow tie logo and a URL/globe?  How about one with the new logo and URL/globe?  Why do manufacturers so often favor the obscure over the common?

It may be that Athearn had no say in this; the design might have been mandated by UPS (having dealt with UPS corporate types, I know just how Draconian they can be), and given that Athearn had only one truck type on which to apply it, they may have been forced to make a foobie. But with no insider information on the deal between Athearn and UPS, this is pure speculation.

[James Costello]

Tony - if you're working on UPS decals how about this for the Arrowhead drop frame?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=131582

Even shows a nice BLMA F89-J too  ;D

Let me know if you'd like more photos and I'll also see if I can find some good ones of the 90s scheme.

[GaryHinshaw]

It may be that Athearn had no say in this; the design might have been mandated by UPS (having dealt with UPS corporate types, I know just how Draconian they can be), and given that Athearn had only one truck type on which to apply it, they may have been forced to make a foobie. But with no insider information on the deal between Athearn and UPS, this is pure speculation.

I was thinking kind of the opposite: I would have almost thought that if a given logo combination was never used (e.g. bow tie w/ URL/globe) that they would not approve it.  But I'm just speculating too.  It's still a good sign that anything UPS is coming out.  The HO release is especially sweet.

Tony - if you're working on UPS decals how about this for the Arrowhead drop frame?

I would definitely like those too.

-gfh

[James Costello]

I can provide a scan of the "acorn" logo too Tony.

[SkipGear]

I have the Acorn loco drawn already. I did some vinyl decals to recreate the Dale Jarett Nascar scheme on an RC car a while back. The problem is, the glare/glint designed into the logo won't translate very well with an Alps. I couldn't do the glare in vinyl either but it looked fine and most people didn't miss it if you didn't point it out to them. Brown is also not one of the colors that the Alps does without some creative mixing. I could make it as a clear decal that would work well for the brown trucks but on the sliver pups I don't think it would work well.

I will work on the globe logo along with these.