CP MoW Truck Lindberg Conversion

I recently acquired several HO scale Lindberg moving van trucks from Trackside Treasure reader Jason Sailer. Two of the trucks, perfect for CP Express, arrive on my Vancouver Wharves layout on a Union Pacific flat car (above). Check out the cool selection of vehicles included in this lot (below). My intention was to convert some of the Lindberg Ford trucks into CP Rail service trucks. NOT hi-rail - we're talking the 1980's here, when most trucks were still only road-based.

Here's the original box design for the easy-to-assemble moving van kit. Snap fit with groovy decals ...'The Moving Van'. That 70's Show ... in H-O!

Here is the assortment double-parked on my layout. Okay, quadruple-parked:

Disassembled. The two screws hold the cab and floor of the box on. I set the cargo box aside, using only the cab, floor, box base and grille.  Some lap-top construction photos follow:

There are four small weights in the cab! Removing these, I painted the cab interior and steering wheel black. Some prototype inspiration in the background (below): TH&B early hi-rail truck courtesy Randy O'Brien, and flatbed at Portage la Prairie courtesy of Brian Schuff:

I added some sides to the flatbed, including a bulkhead with a window carved in it. Yellow paint followed/flowed. The side mirrors really make it come to life! I painted the driver-side wheel covers yellow, leaving the passenger's side silver. I added a spare tire.

Fuel tank on, side mirrors and front grille and bumper painted white per the prototype. Added mudflaps made from coupler pocket covers! And added some detail bits in the back.

Before and after. A blue moving van and the completed CP Rail truck. Many of these did not have CP Rail lettering applied. If they did, it was often red lettering on a white background.

Ready to be parked at Vancouver's 'N' Yard office on my layout!

Running extra...

Just finished reading Front Row at the White House by veteran UPI reporter the late Helen Thomas. The nice thing about Helen's book is that is't not purely chronological. "And I'd like a follow-up question..." The reader is able to read through the book while sharing Helen's experiences with successive presidents, each in various chapters. "Thank you, Mr President!"

Never knew this - Athearn's three-dome tank car is grossly oversized, and has no known prototype. This according to the online February 2015 edition of Model Railroad Hobbyist. No wonder modellers thought the Tangent Scale Models correct model was 'cute'. Hate that word.

Time well wasted...Images of Prairie Towns website, showing some historic views of some of my favourites including Portage la Prairie, MB (already featured in many Trackside Treasure posts) and Stranraer, SK, the subject of an upcoming post on my visit to the Sask Pool elevator there. Thanks, Dave and Wilf for the link!

Screenshots from the latest episode of TLC's long-running series Railfan Sisters! Here are some gloaming photos of Aberdeen, Carolina & Western units taken by my sis in Southern North Carolina. Or was it northern South Carolina? Regardless, what do all the AC&W locos have in common? Hint: It's not wide noses alone, but it borders on that spotting feature....

The local Southern Pines Amtrak-served station is classic, and a nearby church even publicizes the series!