Earlier today on a thread I posted about vehicles, ModelTrainman asked what was wrong with using Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars on your layout? I replied that the answer was enough for a separate thread. I also recommended an excellent article in the August issue of Model Railroad News titled “S, HO or No? The Diecast Dilemma.”
What I didn’t realize is that the “bcawthon” that participates on this forum is the same Bill Cawthon that wrote the article for MRN! Yes I am embarrassed to admit that, but at least I’m honest about it and admitted it.
I thought Bill brought up many excellent points and I certainly can’t rehash his points as that would border on plagiarism if I remember correctly…Writing For News class was a long time ago. Anyway, I would make an effort to read Bill’s article.
One of my pet peeves about HO layout photos has always been this: an immaculately detailed and weathered scale model of a locomotive passing by a Hot Wheels car sitting at the grade crossing. Or worse, a Tootsietoy. At least Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars aren’t see through.
Most of them, as Bill points out, are not even close to HO scale. (Other than the trucks.) Now I know that we fudge a little with the HO scale cars, some might scale out to 1/86 or 1/90 and maybe we’ll say that’s “close enough.” But 1/72 and 1/64th scales are just too big.
Bill did a good job of explaining the sizes of the toy cars compared to scale cars to real cars. One thing I would add is the tires. The tires on my S-10 are 9" wide. The tires on a Hot Wheels vehicle scale out at 1 and a half feet!
Also besides the scale factor, a lot of these toy vehicles don’t receive even a little attention from the modeler that would make them look better. Taking off the toy-looking tampos with nail polish remover and giving it a more realistic paint job would be a huge step. Dulling the shine on the tires would help. The dead giveaway is the hubcaps or the wheels. The super shiney designs can be painted to look a
As I recall, the old Matchbox cars used to be marked on the bottom with the scale ratio. I have quite a few of them, plus other brands of cars close to the right size for HO scale. I try to find the models of common everyday cars, not the exotic ones. The thing to remember is that all these type toy cars are not made to a certain scale the way we would think of it. They are made to fit a certain sized box or bubble pack.
Use the close sized ones for the foreground and the off sized one in the background, especially if you can ge them cheap. When I see an HO (highway) car model for over $10, I say “you’ve GOT to be kidding.” [:O]
I’ve used Johnny Lightning cars on scenes not alongside the track, where scale is very noticeable.
The JL cars have a lot of detail, pick them up usually at Walmart or Hobby Lobby.
True they are not exact scale, but they look good, better than Hot Wheels.
Just my two cents worth.
I built a drive-in restuarnt scene with JL cars, as they have "Hot Rod Merc’s, 57 Chevy Nomad station wagon, and different 50’s era Fords, as I am modelling an almost all Pennsy theme with a possible Nickel Plate line thrown in for good measure since where I live ( near Ft Wayne Indiana) the Nickel Plate was also very popular RR, along with the PRR.
We have a railroad museum not far from here that has Old “765” Berkshire Steam Engine which they restored, it was originally built at the Lima Ohio engine works facility.
Now if I can just find an HO scale “765” Berkshire, if not I’ll just have to renumber an engine.
Quick rule of thumb. Things that are smaller-scale than the trains can be placed in the background and assist in forced perspective. Things that are larger-scale can’t be placed in some kind of “pre-foreground” unless the trains are set pretty far back in the scene.
ANYTHING that goes on a layout should be toned down and lightly weathered. Anything that looks grossly improbable (like super-wide racing slicks on a street car) should be modified for improved appearance. Even showroom cars will be dusty after a test drive, and cars being unloaded from an over-the-road transporter can be downright dirty.
The one thing that jumps out and bites me are photos of quarries or construction sites where all of the heavy equipment is pristine! Any high-capacity machinery that is freshly painted and squeaky clean has just been assembled and has yet to turn a tire (or a track.) Historic equipment on display will have a coating of dust and sun-damaged paint.
On the other hand, there’s no law that says inexpensive vehicles can’t be kitbashed.
Agreed it just looks like crap. Yeah, I know this thread is OVER 9000!!! years old but it still applies. Seriously, brahs, step up your game. Also use vehicles that fit your time period. Your average visitor might not know a troop sleeper from an RPO or a GEVO from an SD70ACe but they a dump truck from 1988 don’t belong on a layout that’s supposed to be the 1950s. But but but, muh rule number ones. That’s your prerogative just don’t get butthurt when you’re not getting the same level of props as somebody who actually cares about detail gets.
I know the old “Models Of Yesteryear” had the scale on the box, and maybe on the model itself. These cars were usefull in O scale, generally 1:40-something to maybe 1:50 scale. I don’t think the smaller traditional Matchbox cars I bought in the 60’s had the scale, but could be wrong. I know they scaled the car to fit inside the blue and yellow box, so cars were all different scales.