In this automotive age, the younger generation soon becomes aware of the importance of gasoline and Diesel driven automotive equipment in the national transportation economy. Along any main artery of our highway system, boys and girls watch a variety of mighty motors highballing along in competition to the steam, electric, and Diesel trains on their parallel ribbons of shiny steel. Sometimes this makes for divided allegiance, but often the young railroad executive compromises by annexing a truck line to feed his freight trains from untapped areas. In the face of such a decision, it is no difficult assignment to assemble suitable highway equipment.

The truck and two possible trailers pictured in Figure 3.18 are dimensioned for wooden disk wheels cut on 15/8-in. diameters. The use of roller skate wheels, or better yet, model airplane wheels, will cause only slight modification of the overall measurements to provide the necessary clearances. The same is true of the thickness of the base members. The indicated dimensions are therefore only relative, for use as guides.

Fig. 3.17. Co-related toys.

As shown in detail A, the truck's cab and hood are composed of two blocks, with the windows and radiator housing indicated in black paint. The front end of the base member is curved to represent the bumper and can be metalized with aluminum paint. The two front fenders are snipped from a tin can and tacked in place. A 1/4-in. dowel peg is embedded in the rear end as a pivot for the trailer.

Stout wheels can be lathe turned from 3/4-in. stock, using a fly center with a drill of about 5/16 in. diameter; the edges of the wheels should then be rounded on a disk sander to simulate tires. If the disk wheels are cut with a coping saw, they should be at least 1/2 in. thick for long service. The axles can be cut from solid brass curtain rods, or they may be J-in. dowel rods. Two thin washers are threaded upon the axle ends for each wheel, one next to the body, or base member, and another between the outer surface of the wheel and the peened end of the metal axle, or the cotter pin of a wooden axle. On wooden wheels light gray tires can be painted on against a red background.

Fig. 3.18. Six-wheeled trailer truck.

Only two trailers and one truck are suggested in the drawing, because once the enthusiasm of the youthful trucking executive is manifested, other "needed" types can be easily assembled on the same basic design. Since the trailers of all types will ride atop of the rear section of the truck, their rear axles must be blocked up high enough to compensate for the thickness of the truck's horizontal base member. The utility trailer in B will accommodate a variety of visible merchandise, hence the slats should be as thin as possible; old Venetian blinds are an excellent source of material.

For the tank truck suggested in Figure 3.18 C, a long fruit juice can and a pair of tin snips will produce a realistic tank. Cut the can down the center of its long side, bend the flaps upward as cuts are made in the round ends until about half the can has been opened, then cut across the ends horizontally. Bend the flaps horizontally and snip them off to a J-in. width, which can then be pierced and tacked onto the body or base member, as indicated. For additional realism, cut off the screw-top neck of a syrup or salad oil can and solder it to the center of the top to represent the rilling plug.

A tank trailer enameled white will represent a long-haul milk tank; painted red it becomes a gasoline supply tank. The remaining colors of the truck and trailers' running gear depend upon their owner's ages and observational advice.