I learned last night that Norscot has arranged to bring in an authentic painted and lettered and offically licensed UPS truck in their die cast line of vehicles. As older forum posters know, UPS has been very protective of its trademarks, to the point where Walthers had to settle for a sort of “wink and nudge/looks like” version. But this one will be fully authorized, with the back doors opening and showing the specialized shelving in the back of the truck. It should be released in a few months.
In the past Big Brown, even went to the point of ordering all of their Tractors “Debugged” without any manufacturer logos or emblems from the factory. Their macks didn’t even have the Classic Bulldogs on them. Their feeling was that it was the same as giving the MFGRS free advertizing. I haven’t looked any time recently to see if they still do this, but years ago, I was Friends with a UPS driver, and he said it was no accident that all the emblems were gone, UPS specs their equipment that way. They are a big enough customer that they get their way on many things like that.
Years ago I worked for U-Haul and clear into the 70’s U-Haul was 100% FORD, Ford did all kinds of unusual things for U-Haul.
I was lucky to get four of the Walthers UPS trucks in their first release. They actually had the correct decals!! Walthers then did not release any more for a while - I guess to haggle with Big Brown - and when they did it was with the “almost” decals. I’d still like to see Big Brown race at Daytona or Taladega!![:D]
I believe it is going to be modern era UPS truck. With luck, perhaps they would offer more classic versions, just as Norscot has done with Caterpillar equipment – mostly they offer modern but they have now gone back to offer some classics from the past – keeping in mind that this is not strictly a model railroad outfit and it took them a while to realize that era-accuracy is that modelers want and need or they won’t buy. I gather it also took them by surprise that people would modify, weather, or even disassemble their stuff.
What I am hoping for is one of those Fageol trucks with the storage area above the cab – really distinctive looking truck. That is what I remember as a kid although I might be mixing up my 1950s memories with a need to detail my 1967 era layout.
Of course Norscot offered a very large scale 1:18 size antique “Old No. 1” UPS truck. And there have been die cast UPS trucks offered in larger scales over the years
As to the price, yeah $30 is a bit high for HO but it seems in line with the cost of their better line of earth moving equipment. It is hard to say what is cheap or expensive anymore now that ready to run HO freight cars can be $40 or more, and for a premium price you can buy Plasticville structures alreadyassembled.
And few layouts are going to want more than one UPS truck, unless you are modeling their distribution center.
Well in my Canadian money, which is going for about 80% or less compared to the US dollar, such a model could cost me $36.00, probably more.
I don’t really have any interest in a UPS truck, was just passing along info I’ve seen. We don’t actually have direct UPS service in my part of the country, so such a truck would be out of place. UPS items delivered locally are done by area delivery contractors. And most of my modeling interests in the past while have been directed towards On30 scale although I’m still dabbling in HO. Currently taking photos of an HO wood chip tractor trailer that I kitbashed some time ago.
Even though UPS has been around since 1901, they have only been in the nationwide common carrier package business since the early 70’s. I guess for some of you young people thats “vintage”, but on my layout it is 1954, no UPS trucks here.
My old mind must be getting fuzzy - todays UPS trucks don’t much different than I remember as a boy. We had UPS trucks at least from 1947 on - probably before that, but that’s when I moved from Brooklyn, NY to Closter, NJ[%-)]
The hefty price tag isn’t totally out of line when you look at some of the bus models in the low $20’s. But, is that because this is a better model, or is the licensing fee so high that it’s really a significant portion of the selling price?
This “licensing fee” stuff is blackmail. Walthers was right to name their shipping company “Fed Ups.”
You sure did in your part of the country, but not in Maryland where I grew up, and not in most of the rest of the country. Back then they where a regulated common carrier like any other trucking company and had a restricted teritory. It was not until the 60’s that they bought enough other companies and some regulations where changed to allow them to be nation wide.