# Gas Station



## drumz (Jan 10, 2008)

I found this @ the Flea Mkt. Is it more scale for T-Jets ? It was a deal I couldn't pass. Thanks


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## dge467 (Jul 6, 2012)

It would be a closer to scale for the T-Jets. Might be a tad small but it should look fine. It is a nice looking service station!


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

Train HO scale is tjet size. The afx cars are a little big but it looks fine. I have HO train scale buildings I use.

I have the aurora pit building that is tjet size and I modified the car lifts to match the afx width I had to widen them over 5mm


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Even true HO (the train version) is all over the board as far as being correct, that one being made by Walthers might be closer to actual 1:87 than others. From what I've heard, the old Union 76 gas station made for trains is slightly over sized. That station might make for good scenery, but depending on the manufacturer's scale ruler, may or may not let even a T jet fit through the overhead door.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

I have no idea who made this one; I've had it close to 30 years. But I do know it was originally supposed to be HO train scenery.



















I think the scale works out just fine, as long as you're not taking a ruler to it or anything. These Lincolns were cast directly from a 1980's Matchbox car, which has to be close to 1/64 scale... it's a little tight, but they do fit into the garage bays.



















(Yeah, I know, the drive-on lift next to it kinda kills the image because a. it's bright yellow plastic and b. the scale is weird, among other things. Gotta put that on the to-do list... )

--rick


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Have always liked that station!!! Best gas prices around too!!! Do you see a brand name on it??? RM


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Hilltop Raceway said:


> Have always liked that station!!! Best gas prices around too!!! Do you see a brand name on it??? RM


It's made by *Heljan* of (I believe) Denmark. It's still available. The current versions are marked for ESSO and have updated pumps with a canopy.










This example has fairly old packaging and has an obsolete model number, so it's apparently been ESSO for a while.

Heljan may have done a Texaco version long ago, or the Texaco may have been done by one of the companies that marketed Heljan kits under their own name, such as Con-Cor. Or it may have been the previous owner's conversion.

I couldn't ID the model when I first took a look at your photos, but I recognized the style of diework on the square tile walls and roof. I knew it was European, just couldn't dredge up with the maker's name. A few minutes online produced some hits, and when I saw the name Heljan, I said, "Right! That's it." And it was.

Lovely pix, Rick.

-- D


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Right you are, Dslot... And you're more right than you think you are.  I still have some leftover busted-up pieces of the garage in a box in the dungeon, including the pump canopies and Esso signage. I had forgotten that's what it was till you posted that pic. I made the Texaco stuff up with a printer when I got back into the hobby 10 years or so ago. 

As I recall, my elementary-to-middle school age model building skills were maybe somewhat questionable  , and the canopies required a steady hand with the glue and some fitting work with a hobby knife, and I think I butchered them. And I'm pretty sure I recall having the Esso signs on there, but they didn't survive years of being thrown in a box and moved to different houses. I gotta go dig that box out later and see what's left in it. Thanks for jogging my memory... :thumbsup:

--rick


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## foxkilo (Mar 27, 2008)

*Scale wise*

Hey Rick,

got a really nice service station there but you shold really do something with the lift. Gie the Dremel a go.
As for the scale it really depends on the make but there is some kind of "zeitgeist" scale wise.
In Europa up to the 70's scale tended more in the direction of 1/100 specially with larger buildings i.e. small houses were clos eto 1/87 were as multistory ones were much smaller in scale. Thats why you find certain buildings were relabeled to appear again tt scale programs. Have a look at the Faller scenery buildings for the slotcars which are the size of tjets, for example a train station resurfaced as a sports hotel. It looks nice but the doors arejust as high as a tjet. 
Than came a trend for true scale all had to be exact 1/87. It made for impressive buildings but who really had the room for them. They go really well with T's.
American manufacturers (Atlas, Bachman) tended to be closer to 1/87. 
But the best match are stil buildings intended 00 scale which is 1/76 and they look really well with Tjets.

Mario

BTW Faller had a gas station especially for slots with a drive through car wash with electricly opened doors. Although Al's has more style.


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## A/FX Nut (May 28, 2004)

slotcardan said:


> Train HO scale is tjet size. The afx cars are a little big but it looks fine. I have HO train scale buildings I use.
> 
> I have the aurora pit building that is tjet size and I modified the car lifts to match the afx width I had to widen them over 5mm


Tjets are 1/80 scale. HO scale is 1/87. I've purchased 1/87th diecast cars for my HO Train layout and they are smaller than my Tjets. They are a tad smaller than the Vibes which Aurora said they're HO scale but I don/t believe it.

Randy.


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## foxkilo (Mar 27, 2008)

Hi Randy,

I've measured vibs as well as tjets and they are larger then 1/80. Vibs are around 1/76 and T's are 1/72 and larger. But this is only an average scale as each one has its own scale racers are on the large side and saloons are on the smaller side. Trucks are a different kind of fish as they really tend to be 1/87.
But this are the concessions we have make for a more or less fixed wheelbase.
MEV tries to be as close as possible to H0 but says that his cars are between 1/72 and 1/80 and they are small even compared to vibs.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Tjets and other HO slot cars just aren't scale models; they're toys, intended to look good and be fun to play with. Because of the need to fit real cars of widely differing sizes onto a standard chassis with only a smidge of variable wheelbase, they had to be different scales from one another.

In length Tjets & Vibes varied from almost 1:60 (Shelby Cobra, Porsche 904,) to around 1:80 (63 Galaxie, 60 T-Bird, 69 El Camino). 

Usually the same body was to different scales in length, width and height. One reason the Aurora '65 Mustang is so wonky-looking is that those three scales differ so widely on that body: Length - 1:76; Width - 1:57 (!); Height - 1:64.

There is a pretty deep and enjoyable (to me anyway) discussion of Tjet & Vibe "scale" at *this HT thread*. And some preliminary discussion on this *earlier thread*.

-- D


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## ctsvowner (Aug 9, 2010)

Those pics make me smile. 

Cool dude and Snap On truck I know where those came from. lol


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

hey Goose! :wave:

yeah, for a while, i was using Dude in most of my pictures to represent me. i still do, actually; i just haven't had the time to take pictures like that in forever...

and that Snap On truck is a sweet runner. i like to take it out alongside my AW ice cream truck, which also has an original Aurora Tjet chassis under it... makes a good race. :thumbsup:

--rick


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