This summer I visited the classic "Roadside America" +/- 1:32 scale display in Shartlesville, PA

[Brian Austin]

On our way to the midwest on our summer vacation, my father and I stopped at Roadside America, the legendary model railroad/tourist trap.  It's been at this location since the '40s or so, and the display hasn't changed much since the '60s.  Collectors will appreciate the old toys and promo models, along with tinplate and modern LIONEL trains.

Buildings are scratchbuilt in 1:32 scale (by one person!) vehicles and figures bizarrely range from 1:50 to 1:24.  This would be the perfect place for all those 1:28-1:27 off-scale diecasts everybody hates.  :-)

 

Please click on the image below to visit my album.  First two images in the album are from a 1987 visit.

 

 

[#1 model citizen]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

[Phil Scar]

Incredible.  There's just so much there.  You went to the trouble to take and post 165 pix, so I looked at every one.  I liked the turquoise  Edsel in front of the GM dealership.  And the stone house , img 2640. And the caverns. And...

[Brian Austin]

3 hours ago, Phil Scar said:

  You went to the trouble to take and post 165 pix, so I looked at every one.  I liked the turquoise  Edsel in front of the GM dealership.  And the stone house , img 2640. And the caverns. And...

Thanks for looking!

[shoopdog]

On ‎11‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 7:19 PM, Phil Scar said:

Incredible.  There's just so much there.  You went to the trouble to take and post 165 pix, so I looked at every one.

X2.

Thank you much for taking your time to post all those pics.

[Brian Austin]

UPDATE!  Sadly, Roadside America closed in 2020.  The display and collection were broken up and auctioned off.

 

You'll have to slog through several pages of results, but here are the auction listings.  The auction itself is closed, but you can still view the pictures.

 

https://auctionhowze.hibid.com/catalog/255594/roadside-america-liquidation-auction/?ipp=100

[Brian Austin]

Oddly, I'm not seeing the album link in my original post.

 

Here it is: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_w_austin/albums/72157687922611815

 

[alan barton]

Thank you Brian, what an amazing experience it must have been to view this display.  The magnitude is hard to comprehend!

Cheers

Alan

[Brian Austin]

Yeah, the display was a sight to behold.  Sad to lose another bit of classic roadside Americana.