Decals for TEXACO

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am decorating a service station in the 50’s and I would like to make it a TEXACO service station. Does anyone know about decals in HO for this kind of project?

2

Microscale used to offer a great set of classic Texaco decals, but the folks there told me years ago that Texaco asked them to stop producing them.

You might be able to find some Texaco logos and print your own decals. Or maybe ask around to see if any shops still have a set of the Microscale decals in stock.

Jim

3

I had no problem finding Texaco logos of all sorts on the web.

4

The kind of Texaco gas station I remember from my old home town looked rather like the photo that this link goes to

http://www.luckymojo.com/texacogas.gif

so you’d be looking at raised letters (versus flats decals) which I have seen in the craft section of the LHS, and perhaps are even more numerous at a true craft shop or Hobby Lobby.

Dave Nelson

5

Speaking of raised lettering, the March 2013 issue of MR had a neat layout article by Charlie Duckworth. When he made his gas station model he also wanted raised stripes on the building since that was protoypical for some brands. So he explains how he used strips of Evergreen styrene painted green to get that effect, which is what Texaco stations had too.

Jim

6

Bar Mills makes an HO 1940’s Texaco station with lots of signage. Perhaps they might be willing to sell you the sign sheet separately. Note that the signs are not decals. They are printed on heavy paper.

http://www.barmillsmodels.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=19&Itemid=999&vmcchk=1&Itemid=999

Scroll down a bit on the page.

There is a technique for applying printed paper signs to structures so that they look like they were painted on. What you have to do is very carefully sand the back of the sign to remove as much paper as possible, and then use diluted white glue to soften the sign to make it conform to the surface on which it is being mounted. You have to use very fine sandpaper and be VERY gentle. I would suggest that you practise on some unwanted signs before you attack the ones you want to use.

Dave

7

By the way use the Walthers online catalog to search for “signs” and “Texaco” and you will find Microscale decals as well as things for JL Innovative Design

Just search under Texaco and you’ll find some other interesting stuff including trucks. I had forgotten that Selley has or had a Texaco gas pump which Walthers lists as not currently available.

Dave Nelson

8

Just a crazy idea. I have heard people complain about companies not allowing model manufacturers, decal manufacturers etc to sell products with their trademarks and logos. I wonder if it would do any good to write to the PR or advertising department as a long-time loyal customer and ask if THEY (Texaco for instance) would directly supply decals, signages for either current or historic examples of their brands. because you are so proud and satisfied doing business with them and want them represented in your hobby.

9

when the woman who ran the caterpillar legal department got nasty for a while about EMD materials on the web, a good friend of mine cancelled an order for 6 heavy duty trucks with CAT diesel engines in them. i think he specified Cummins instead.

charlie

10

Another source is to find old magazines with color ads. National Geographic used to have some nicely printed ads that often had logos printed about the right size to adapt to model layout useage.

11

In this day of computers and color printers all you have to do is find a picture of the logo you want and scan it or copy it. You can then print it any size you want on paper or decal stock. Gas station stuff collectors are a hobby in themselves and they post lots of pictures of their stuff.

12

Hi Guy,

I’ll second Dave Nelson’s advice on JL Innovative Design, they have great detail parts. With all their parts you can really detail a garage, lift and all.

Of particular interest to you is their Texaco Ultimate detail set, I think this just what you are looking for

http://www.shop.jlinnovative.com/Ultimate-Custom-Detail-Set-Texaco-Gas-Station-950.htm?categoryId=-1

And they have other Texaco stuff as well.

Good Luck with your station and post some pics, Derek

13

Here is all kinds of signs you can print.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/162879.aspx

Here is a Skelly Station with signs

14

Thank you everyone. I will have a look at JL Innovative Design. It seems to be what I was looking for… and more.

15

Tomcat-13

You do an amazing job for us modeler and I already selected some signs to use on my layout. Can I know more about your technique to put them on the structures?

16

For metal signs I use photo paper. For others I print on card stock. I use double sided tape for on buildings. For traffic signs I used white glue.

You can tone down the sign with powders to weather them & I use a fine tip marker to go around the edges.

17

This is a Texaco station I built for the Boothbay Railway Village layout

It is a City Classics model. I looked and could not find any Texaco decals, so I made the Texaco and other signs on the building using a computer program (Powerpoint??, don’t remember), the font was Aerial Black, and printed on photo paper. I added an interior floor and walls from sytrene, and cut out one service bay door to model it open.

The detals are all JL Innovative. The gas pumps, oil racks, Pepsi machine, air pump, tire display, and others inside were bought painted; many others were unpainted castings. The Texaco sign on the pole came with a JLI Texaco detail set. The “Texaco Rarin to Go” sign was a picture I found on EBay.

The figures are a Woodland Scenics gas station group. I added a Preiser driver figure to the MiniMetals car. Hard to see, but there is a teenager in the back seat. WHen the building is on the layout, there will also be a mother and young daughter walking to the rest rooms. The car on the lift is a cheap one from Lifelike since all you see is the trunk lid and back bumper.

Note that Microscale makes a number of decal sets for this City Classics gas station - Mobil, Gulf, ESSO and some others, but NOT Texaco

18

Good job George!

Dave

19

George,

Good work on the service station,looks great,The restroom,could use some help though,LOL…but most small gas stations usually could.

Made mine a Gulf station,a little more detail in the office…

Cheers,

Frank

20

I am using the restroom area to gather the wiring for the lighting, so I did no details there.