REO High Wheel Express Box Truck

REO High Wheel Express Box Truck

O-Scale Kit #232

Berkshire Valley Models

For our early 1900's diorama of a machine shop, Doug felt that we would need at least one motorized vehicle from the period to go along with a number of horse-drawn teams pulling wagons.

Here is my finished model.

The REO High Wheel Express Box Truck in O-Scale fit the bill nicely.  This is a fine looking kit offering from Berkshire Valley Models.  In the kit instructions Richard and Donna Rands offer a history of this motor company.

REO stands for the Ransom E. Olds Motor Car Company which was founded in 1905.

Later on, the company produced the REO Speedwagon, the precursor to the pickup truck.  

Some of you may recall a musical band named "REO Speedwagon".  Being a musician, my own research discovered that the band formed in university in the state of Illinois.  At the time they were thinking of a name for their group, one of the members attended a lecture on the history of transportation where he saw the name "REO Speedwagon" printed on the blackboard.  He brought it to the group and the name stuck.

The band's pronunciation of the name differed from that of the motor company.  The band pronounced it "R-E-O" while the motor company pronounced it as a single word, "Ree-Oh".

Richard and Donna instructions offer this further information with regard to painting early vehicles, "Early automobiles were often painted in the same manner as wagons, because they inherited the same carriage painting tradition."

They go on to say, "Private vehicles were usually painted a single, subdued one-colour scheme while commercial vehicles which required high product or company visibility had ornate, vibrant paint schemes."  Thus the reason I selected this lovely two-tone version.

The REO Speedwagon will suit well in a scene with this farm wagon and horse team; two distinct kits also offered by Berkshire Valley Models which I had painted and assembled previously.  (I will create a blog entry on this highly engaging project at a later date!)

There are four main aspects to the build:  The Lower Body, The Box, The Motor Assembly and The Chassis.  Above we see the chassis frame coming together.

The motor assembly is complete and now in.

A side view under different lighting.

The chains have gone in on their sprockets with the farther pair joining to the motor.

Lightweight but heavy in detail!

A view from the other side.

Wheels now attached to the axles.

The driver's area and the box.

Aerial view showcasing the motor assembly located below the driver's seat.  This will be hidden when I go to glue the seat in place.  (Doug and I chose to not have it removeable which was an option so that you could lift the seat to showcase the motor.)

Two tones of colour.

From the other angle.

Now with the rims painted.

The kit comes with the option of constructing a canopy for the driver.  We chose to forego this option for our model.

The truck arrives the machine shop as scenery continues to develop.

It will perform some heavy duty, for sure!

Oh look, another buggy adorns the scene!

I'll share with you the build of that one at a later date...also a model from Berkshire Valley Models!

The scene is coming together slowly.

Horses are fun to create as well...once again from Berkshire Valley Models.

And, yet...another buggy adorns the scene, this time a buckboard wagon while our REO High Wheel Express Box Truck continues to reside the loading dock at the machine shop.

Thatnks, as always, for checking in on what I am building.  This shot was taken many summers ago in Massachusetts nearby the Boston and Maine line.  Google the "Bridge of Flowers" to learn more about this special place.

I hope you have enjoyed my sharing of images of a small part of the build of the Box Truck!

Happy New Year to all!

All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada