When I was a kid, we’d drive 3 ½ hours north to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to visit my grandparents a couple of times per year. Of course, that long of a drive necessitated one or two pit stops. Most were at tiny gas stations in small towns. Menards Sunoco Station (275-9288) reminds me of some of those old-time gas stations, which were probably already dated by the early 1980s.
The Menards Sunoco station measures 12 ⅜” long, 9” wide, and 4¾” high. The main structure features a small office/store, two service bays, and three covered gas pumps. All the windows are frosted. Two vehicles are included with this structure, a red 1951 Ford pickup truck and a blue-and-yellow 1948 Sunoco panel delivery truck.
If you want to reposition these vehicles (perhaps to put inside your vehicle storage showroom), it’s easy to remove the small screw holding them onto the base. In fact, you could also remove the structure from its base by unscrewing six small screws. This could be done to create a more rural effect (not all small stations had a lot of concrete), or if you have a smaller space than the 9” x 12” base.
The graphics are well positioned and nicely done. There was one small area where the yellow building stripe shows up under the Sunoco logo on the building’s side, but it’s not that noticeable. The graphics on the panel truck are crisp and even.
On the left side of the building, near the rear, is a door to a restroom. I wonder if the attendant keeps the key attached to a giant piece of wood so it doesn’t go missing!
This structure is quite light compared to many other Menards buildings. It appears to be made from styrene.
Just about every layout could find a use for a gas station. This one is compact and offers opportunities for customization (adding trash cans, flower pots, more vehicles, adding cracks to the concrete, etc.)
Please note: Accessory lighting requires power Menard’s 4.5 volt power supply, sold separately. You can use the 279-4061/4361, 4060/4362, or 4050. Connect it through a single plug over the tabletop or from beneath the station through a hole underneath the base.
For more information, visit www.menards.com/trains. There is an option for free shipping to your local Menards store.
Sunoco Station (275-9288)
Price: $49.99
Website: menards.com/trains
