River Point Station N Scale Ford F-350 Trucks

[cfritschle]

While direct comparisons between products can be subjective, I believe the new River Point Station Fords are more similar to the Atlas 1997 F-150 pickups than the Atlas 1973 F-100 pickups.

Here is a photo of the Atlas F-150 pickup with the test shot model of the RPS F-350 crew cab pickup.


And as Daniel mentioned, "semi decorated" kits are planned.  I am going to use some of the RPS utility truck kits to upgrade the cabs on my GHQ Ford F-350 trucks.  This photo shows the GHQ F-350 utility truck with the test shot model of the RPS F-350 utility truck.


I am hoping I can separate the cab from the bed on the GHQ model without destroying the bed!

And while not readily visible in the photos, the RPS Fords have a nicely detailed interior.  The dashboard accurately captures the look of the prototype, and the seats look like the seats in my prototype F-250 and F-150 pickups.   

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The photos I found for the P&W trucks could come out of the Zepruder film. But here is what I found:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200511252148012323.jpg
Mid-80's crew cab show the basic paint scheme of the Ford F250/350.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=387587
Background-left: standard cab, stake bed.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=591311
Extreme right: Crew cab.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2003112418260324702.jpg
Extreme left: unknown type, appears to be a conventional bed.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2005022516505724968.jpg
Standard cab, dump bed. This truck had a plow attachment and sander in winter.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2003112418253324654.jpg
Extreme left: Standard cab with black tool bed and crew cab with standard bed.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2003112418244924572.jpg
If I remember correctly, this welding truck was a standard cab model with plow attachment.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2006030116530522040.jpg
This is actually a decent photo if one of their hi-rails.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200711061040107049.jpg
Crew cab standard bed.

[cfritschle]

Getting back to the original question, does anyone have any photo references for CSX or NS MOW light duty trucks from the 1990s?

I did find find a photo of a CSX yellow hi-railer with the "Quality in Motion" slogan taken in 2005.  Does anyone know when those first appeared?

[cfritschle]

I think I found an example that is more appropriate for the 1990s CSX MOW light trucks.  http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1724482

While the photo was taken in 2009, can anyone confirm if that was the paint and lettering scheme in use for CSX in the 1990s?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The DOT placards didn't go up until 99/2000 right? Quality in Motion Apparently dates to the early 90's :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sjb4photos/13951986209

[cfritschle]

The DOT placards didn't go up until 99/2000 right? Quality in Motion Apparently dates to the early 90's :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sjb4photos/13951986209

Daniel,

Thank you, and I sent the link to Ron.  Anybody find anything for Norfolk Southern?

[cfritschle]

Ron from River Point Station sent me some examples of the 2nd test shots for the new Ford F-350 models to “play” with.  These moldings are more refined, and should be ready for production.

First, here is a look at the interior for the crew cab.



Next we have views of the painted and assembled crew cab from four different angles.









We can be assured that the factory finished production models will look a lot better than these test shots.

[peteski]

Thanks Carter!  Even these look very impressive (especially considering that these close-up photos show them close to 0 scale)!

[Lemosteam]

Hi Carter, nice paint job.  As I keep looking at this model, and having worked for Ford, there is something that the model is missing.  The two grooves between the healight housing and the grille and between the headlight and the turn signal.  It is modeled as if it were one piece, but the headlight/turn signal assembly and grill were all separate parts.  Seems to me a groove like the door opening grooves could be modeled there:

Might even make the grille and headlights easier to paint.  BTW have you tried the Tamiya panel line product for things like this?

     

[Kev1340]

Hi Carter, nice paint job.  As I keep looking at this model, and having worked for Ford, there is something that the model is missing.  The two grooves between the healight housing and the grille and between the headlight and the turn signal.  It is modeled as if it were one piece, but the headlight/turn signal assembly and grill were all separate parts.  Seems to me a groove like the door opening grooves could be modeled there:

I agree, that touch would add a lot to the look of the models, but I expect it is too late now without causing considerable delay, especially as it means 'metal on' rather than 'metal off' the tooling.

Cheers,

Kev

[peteski]

I agree, that touch would add a lot to the look of the models, but I expect it is too late now without causing considerable delay, especially as it means 'metal on' rather than 'metal off' the tooling.

My thought's exactly.  Unlike the infamous wide/deep board gaps in Rapido Trains meat reefers, where metal would just have to be removed to make the gaps more to scale, here, they would have to add metal to the mold

But these features could easily be represented by adding black lines during the shell decoration. Trainworx super-realistic trucks have all of their door lines painted, and they look great.

[Kev1340]

But these features could easily be represented by adding black lines during the shell decoration. Trainworx super-realistic trucks have all of their door lines painted, and they look great.

Or perhaps if the light unit/grille part was moulded in clear plastic, there would then be a clear separation between the painted grille and the 'lights'. That may even be the intention on the production models. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Cheers,

Kev

[peteski]

Or perhaps if the light unit/grille part was moulded in clear plastic, there would then be a clear separation between the painted grille and the 'lights'. That may even be the intention on the production models. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Cheers,

Kev

While I absolutely want clear plastic windows in N scale models, I'm on the fence when it comes to clear headlight/tail lights.  But this is not a 3D prototype - it is a test shot. Doing the headlights as a separate part would pretty much require redoing the molds and producing additional molds for the headlights. I doubt that this is feasible.  Besides, the parts count adds to the cost of the molds and assembly.

[wazzou]

Nothing a fine tipped black marker can't fix.
I mean it is just a pickup after all, not the primary focus of your layout, I hope.
I could see all the handwringing if this were a 1/25 Scale plastic model that you intend to enter in a contest.


Corrected spelling

[GaryHinshaw]

Or each headlight could be a decal that includes a hi-res image of the headlight, turn signal light, and a thin black border.