This kit has been the most challenging I have put together so far which has just added to the fun. The kit can fit probably most any time period from the 1920s to present. Included are a Quonset hut, horizontal and vertical storage tanks, piping, tank car unloading stand, pump house, and a truck loading platform plus a few accessories to get your dealer started. Also included are a decal sheet to add a final touch of business promotion.
I followed the instructions pretty closely although the kit offers a lot of flexibility (if you look closely at pictures in past Model Railroader issues, you may find such variations) and I found that the most challenging aspect is installing the piping. I have considered different piping options (black solid wire, other piping kits offered by Walthers, or possibly “pretending” that the pipes are underground) but chose to stay with the original. Goofs in the installation (such as spaces between pipes and valves) have been “covered up” by Polly Scale grimy black spills or drips. My oil dealer doesn’t seem to care too much about the HO environment to have had these fixed in a timely manner.
As the parts are all plastic, they accept paint well if you choose to dirty things up a bit or change a color here and there. Some great accessories I would recommend would include tank cars (of course), tank trucks, figures, and barrels, and pallets. I would highly recommend this kit if you are looking for an oil dealer or chemical plant. It would add a new level of detail and interest to an industrial park, not to mention more varied freight cars that could require special handling or restrictions. Just make sure your fuel dealer obeys the EPA guidelines.
MRSP: $41.98
