Straco Expres Layout, Part 63 - Going Greyhound

Read all the installments of the Straco Express layout project here.

At the point, the Straco Express display layout is pretty full. So adding vehicles is something I always consider carefully.

I like to have taxis and buses going to and fro from the station. So when I saw a Haji Greyhound bus come up for auction, I placed a bid.

The wheel base is the right size, but the overall scale isn't. Of course, the Straco Display layout isn't about scale.

Two Haji vehicles from the early 1950s.

 I believe the bus is an early model. I compared it to the Haji gas truck, and the designs are similar.

Both have only three wheels. The back two are rubber, with metal sides. By the late 1950's that style of tire had been phased out.

Another clue is the bus itself. Greyhound introduced the GM Scenicruiser in 1954. Although GM would continue to make the bus through the early 1970s, the heyday for the PD-4501 Scenicruiser was 1954-56.

My best guess is that Haji brought out their version of the Scenicruiser in 1954-55.

It's an interesting addition to the Straco display layout. But it's one I have to be careful placing for photographs. The size difference between it and say, a Shioji truck is somewhat extreme!

Layout construction:

• Pegboard: $4.95
• Flathead Screws: $0.40
• Molding: $2.49
• SilClear: borrowed from a friend
• Green Paint: leftover  from another project
• Wood Screws: $3.60
• Felt Pads: $1.99

Power Pack: $5.90
Small Houses: $3.00
Testor's Gray Paint for road: $1.29

Bandai Areo Station: $8.99
Bandai Station: $10.00
2 tinplate signs: $1.00
4 tinplate signs (with train) $5.99
Cragstan HO Light Tower $20.49
4 nesting houses $4.99
Tinplate gas station: $5.00

Vehicles:

• Two Japanese toy cars: $2.00
• A.W. Livestock truck: $4.99
• Taxi: $2.99
• Ambulance: $2.99
• Two Japanese patriotic cars: $6.99
• Haji three-wheel sedan $3.00
• Haji three-wheel tanker $5.00
• 1950's sedan $2.99
• Haji Greyhound Scenicruser $5.99
• LineMar Police Car $9.00
• LineMar Pepco Truck $8.50
• LineMar Bond Bread Van $8.00
• LineMar Fire Engine $4.95
• LineMar Dump Truck $12.99
• LineMar GE Courier Car $10.98
• LineMar County School Bus $9.99
• Nomura Red Sedan $5.00
• Nomura Police Car $2.52
• Nomura lumber truck $3.48
• Nomura limousine $11.99
• 6 Nomura vehicles $16.99
• Shioji Express Truck $10.00
• Shioji Covered Truck $12.50
• Shioji Dump Truck $9.95
• Shioji Shell Tanker $10.50
• Shioji Tow Truck $25.00
• Orange Sedan $10.99
• King Sedan $9.95
• Indian Head logo sedan $4.99
• Indian Head (?) convertible $18.00
• Yellow/red Express truck $9.99
• Haji Greyhound Bus $5.00
• Red limousine FREE
• Jeep $12.00

Total Project Cost: $335.28