Make a Hi-rail truck for $1

Another Dollar General project! These Matchbox pickup trucks caught my eye at $1 each, and looked like they could easily become hi-rail vehicles for the maintenance fleet.

Matchbox vehicles are generally oversize for HO, but this is a Matchbox Datsun mini-truck. My HO scale ruler measured it at 20 feet long. My full size Silverado pickup is 19 feet long. Close enough - the mini Datsun makes a good representation of a full size pickup in HO.

The body was painted white to be a utility body, with the addition of some tool boxes and gas cylinders. The hi-rail axles are glass beads glued onto wire. The roof light is a 3mm amber LED with the leads cut off.