New Freightliner Cascadia!

[RoninUtah]

Well, in my last post about the International Highbinder, I hinted that my next build would be completely different… and this is it! 

Like many model truck builders, I lamented the fact that although Freighliner Cascadias represent at least 40% of the Class 8 trucks on the road (at least around here), none were available in 1/25 scale to build. In fact, except for the Moebius International Lone Star and Pro Star and the Italeri Volvo VN, there were no modern highway tractors for us at all. The rest of “Big Plastic” didn’t seem interested at all in coming out with anything new, content with regurgitating the same 70’s models they’ve been doing for years. I guess the cost of engineering, tooling, obtaining the proper licenses and gearing up for production are too scary for them to speculate on.

Into the gap stepped 3D printing. In particular, the Cults 3D website, which has thousands of 3D designs by hundreds of members. It has just about every modern truck there is available for downloading and printing, of varying degrees of accuracy and quality. This build is from a 3D model by Cults 3D member “Alfa Centauri,” who has several accurately detailed and well-designed 3D models for a nominal price to download. 

I don't do my own printing, but I had been corresponding with Bren, a member here who does his own 3D printing, and Bren very generously offered to print the Cascadia for me. Maybe to make me shut up with my whining, I don’t know. But I deeply appreciate it! By the way, Bren has some very interesting and informative observations about 3D printing truck models on the “Truck Aftermarket/Resin/3D Printed” section of this site. It’s worth checking out.

I decided to put this on an extra Moebius Lone Star Chassis I had lying around (doesn’t everybody?). I shortened the chassis to look correct with the Cascadia body, and reinforced it by epoxying brass rods to the frame rails. Resin is very heavy, the finished model weighs a little over a pound! The resin parts have thick sidewalls, due to being scaled to 1/25, so they required some grinding to fit. The edges of the doors in particular had to be ground down to a feather edge. The printing process resulted in some diagonal “streaks,” particularly on the upper cab and the bumper, which had to be ground and filled to the extent possible. The interior is minimal, consisting of a floor pan, seats and a (well detailed) dash and steering wheel combo. I supplemented those with cabinets from the Lone Star and a sleeper bunk from the parts box. The rest of the build was pretty straightforward, the parts fit together well and I added some parts box bits and improvised details. It’s a curbside model for now, but maybe I’ll get around to figuring out how to disguise the International Maxx Force engine (a POS in real life) as a Detroit DD-15. Or maybe I’ll just put a Cummins X-15 in it, which is actually a factory option for the Cascadia.

There was no shortage of reference photos for this build! I designed it to be a typical present-day fleet truck, just like the hundreds of Cascadias you see every day on the highway. I based it on a C.R England tractor, but I don’t have the right decals and this truck isn’t to England’s specs anyway. But I wanted this to be typical for its type, so it’s kinda boring and plain-jane; definitely nothing you’d see entered into the Mid-America truck show. 

So, here it is, the elusive current Freighliner Cascadia in 1/25 scale. It was a challenging build, but I’m generally pleased with the results. And now I can stop whining!
 

[Jim B]

Very nice looking Freightliner.  Very well do 

[Rockford]

That's a nice build. You're right, modelling does seem to be trapped in the 70s, mind you, so am I!

[vincen47]

Nice work. Excellent addition to your fleet. I totally agree, the Cascadia should be a part of everyone’s collection who wants to represent the current era of trucking.

It may not be anyone’s favorite truck, and you won’t see it at the local truck show, but it’s an important part of the current freight transportation industry.

I plan to build one, myself. Planning to go with Global Scale Models. It lacks the hood mirrors, but it comes with a windshield and headlight glass. Not sure if I want 1/24 or 1/25, but that will depend on what chassis I decide to put it on. Maybe the FLD 120? What do you think?

[RoninUtah]

 

1 hour ago, vincen47 said:

I plan to build one, myself. Planning to go with Global Scale Models. It lacks the hood mirrors, but it comes with a windshield and headlight glass. Not sure if I want 1/24 or 1/25, but that will depend on what chassis I decide to put it on. Maybe the FLD 120? What do you think?

Thanks, Victor! That's interesting- I didn't know Global made a Cascadia until now- it must be a recent addition to their lineup. Still, I'm glad I went the way I did- I specifically wanted a high rise sleeper with the iconic Cascadia "teardrop" upper windows, and it looks like Global doesn't offer that. I hear they make a great product, though- I haven't built any yet but I'll have to add something from their catalogue to my fleet soon. Maybe a Mack Anthem? For this build, I made my own windshield and headlight glass; the windshield doesn't fit exactly, but then, curved glass is tough to do!

The Italeri FLD 120 is nicely detailed, but it's a long wheelbase conventional so the chassis will need to be shortened for the Cascadia. As you know, the FLD 120 is a mid-90s model, so the suspension, etc. won't be exactly right, but probably close enough. Not that mine is super-accurate in that respect either! And the kit's Freightliner decals will come in handy. One word of caution... when I built the Cascadia, I accidentally picked it up wrong and the chassis snapped in two where I had spliced it after shortening it- the resin cab is extremely heavy. The Global cab is probably not as bad, but it's still something to keep in mind. I wound up adding 3/8" brass rods with epoxy to reinforce the chassis- not exactly a realistic detail but it works!

Good luck, and I hope to see the results!

[PappyD340]

Nice build!

[vincen47]

12 hours ago, RoninUtah said:

 

Thanks, Victor! That's interesting- I didn't know Global made a Cascadia until now- it must be a recent addition to their lineup. Still, I'm glad I went the way I did- I specifically wanted a high rise sleeper with the iconic Cascadia "teardrop" upper windows, and it looks like Global doesn't offer that. I hear they make a great product, though- I haven't built any yet but I'll have to add something from their catalogue to my fleet soon. Maybe a Mack Anthem? For this build, I made my own windshield and headlight glass; the windshield doesn't fit exactly, but then, curved glass is tough to do!

The Italeri FLD 120 is nicely detailed, but it's a long wheelbase conventional so the chassis will need to be shortened for the Cascadia. As you know, the FLD 120 is a mid-90s model, so the suspension, etc. won't be exactly right, but probably close enough. Not that mine is super-accurate in that respect either! And the kit's Freightliner decals will come in handy. One word of caution... when I built the Cascadia, I accidentally picked it up wrong and the chassis snapped in two where I had spliced it after shortening it- the resin cab is extremely heavy. The Global cab is probably not as bad, but it's still something to keep in mind. I wound up adding 3/8" brass rods with epoxy to reinforce the chassis- not exactly a realistic detail but it works!

Good luck, and I hope to see the results!

Yeah, I think it was just recently that Global started offering the Cascadia in a daycab, 60”, and 72” sleeper configurations. For the chassis, the rear suspension is a consideration, true. Last night I ordered a 3d printed FASII Airliner suspension from EBay. Looks pretty detailed and accurate. It’s 1/25, so that’s what I’ll go with for the rest of the build, where possible.

I’m not sure yet where I’ll source the rest of the parts, but I recently found a lead on a DD15 - some guys on FB said the recent Italeri Actros MP4 kits have a Mercedes OM472, which apparently is nearly identical to the DD15 (MB/Detroit collaborated in the design), So… I’m off to find that and do the mods needed to visually convert it over. Just looking briefly at some photos to compare, it is very close to a current Detroit engine.

So, this build is starting to move beyond the dream stage, and into the gathering parts phase…thanks for the info and inspiration.

Edited August 24, 2024 by vincen47

[RoninUtah]

1 hour ago, vincen47 said:

So, this build is starting to move beyond the dream stage, and into the gathering parts phase…thanks for the info and inspiration.

That's great! You're very welcome. Yours will turn out much better than mine... can't wait to see it!

[RoninUtah]

On 8/23/2024 at 6:35 PM, vincen47 said:

 Totally agree, the Cascadia should be a part of everyone’s collection who wants to represent the current era of trucking.

Yeah, as much as I love the classic rigs of the 40s, 50s and 60s, I also love to do current trucks as well. After all, in a few decades these will be the classics! 

Here is a scene from a highway rest area somewhere near you...

[vincen47]

2 hours ago, RoninUtah said:

Yeah, as much as I love the classic rigs of the 40s, 50s and 60s, I also love to do current trucks as well. After all, in a few decades these will be the classics! 

Here is a scene from a highway rest area somewhere near you...

Absolutely agree, gotta love the classics and also represent the truck stops of today. Great shot.

[chuckyr]

Turned out nice.

 

They aren't giving us new tool modern big rig kits, so you have to do your own!

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Nice looking Freightliner!