TOY GAS STATIONS

A miniature white and green tow truck featured in a model contest at the Milwaukee, Wis., “World of Wheels” show hauled in countless smiles from visitors to the Jan. 9-11 event at the Brew City’s State Fairgrounds. If you haven’t guessed, the model tow truck’s color scheme matched the Texaco theme used for the model, which is a replica of Wally Platek’s‘60s Texaco Service Center.
We don’t know if that’s the name of the modeler or whether his creation is a scaled down version of a actual 1960s-era Texaco gas station. Whatever the answer, the model is a great example of the art of real life miniaturization. Depending upon their level of confidence and skill in model making, some car hobbyists interested in having their own miniature gas stations may want to scratch building a replica of this one. Other’s may prefer purchasing a model gas station kit. Pine Canyon Scale Models of Dunstable, Mass., markets a 1/48-scale gas station designed for O-gauge model train layouts.
The Pine Canyon kit is a replica of a style of gas station built in the 1930s, though many of these still exist across the country today. This model has a footprint that is 10-1/2 in. across to the edge of the sidewalk and 11-1/4 in. from the back to the front of the pump island curbing. Though this structure is actually done in 1/48 scale, it is designed to accept both 1/43- and 1/48-scale toy cars.
Full color signs and posters for oil companies such as Richfield, Shell, Sinclair, Texaco, Mohawk, Phillips 66, Mobile and Gulf are included in the $149 kit. All parts are cast in high quality light tan polyurethane resin with separate injection molded plastic windows and doors. Roof details include rolled tarpaper roofing, five vent turbines, a heat vent and bathroom drain vents. The station’s soda machine is a scale replica of a 1954 Vendo model. It can be backdated to approximately 1948 by removing half of the release lever. The soda machine and gas pumps are scaled from full sized prototypes. Just about everything is included, except cars, figurines and tow trucks, which must be added.
This model can be ordered from Pine Canyon Scale Models, 167 Westford Street, Dunstable, MA 01827-2405. You can also call them at (978) 735-2138 or email pinecanyon@cedarlane.com