Removing Atlas Shay factory lettering

[PanAmShay]

I'm getting ready to re-letter a couple n scale Atlas 2 truck Shay locos.  Has anyone successfully tried removing the factory lettering/numbering?  It looks pad printed and not a decal.

For general locos, I see Dave Foxx mentioned recently for a standard Atlas diesel shell he has found success with soaking numbering with micro sol for ~40 minutes covered with a scrap of soaked paper towel.  I see someone else generally recommended 91% alcohol with a cotton swab for pad printing.

Figured I'd ask in case anyone has tried before for an Atlas Shay.  If not, I'll give the above methods a try. 

Alternatively, if you have an East Side Logging model and you want to trade shells for a Sugar Pine, Potlatch, or Pickering, let me know.

[PanAmShay]

I had no luck removing the factory lettering on the Shay shell via any gentle method.  Micro Sol for 40 minutes did nothing and neither did alcohol.  I resulted to very carefully removing with a #11 blade, repainting with Tamiya semi gloss black, applying the Microscale decals, and top coating with Tamiya semi-gloss clear and then Tamiya flat.  I'm very happy with how it came out so far.  The color and sheen match the rest of the shell and the decal edges are not noticeable at all.  The three individual digits making up 102 on the back of the engine are probably the smallest decals I've ever applied.  Future project will be renumbering the front number plate, but I will need someone to print this for me.  As it is, it is not noticeable when running the loco, just under close scrutiny.

More historical info on this loco in today's weekend update.

[peteski]

It looks really good in the photo posted in the Weekend Update.
I'm curious as to why use both Semigloss and Flat clear?  Both (by themselves) create a clear film protecting the decal. What's the advantage of applying both of them to the shell?

[PanAmShay]

Peteski,

Listing the two clears (semi-gloss and flat) was more just to document (and for my future memory if needed), vs any indication that it was better.  Also, I wasn't sure how the semi-gloss would look, and didn't want too heavy of a flat coat, as I've had some issues with that getting sort of frosted looking.  I felt confident I could put flat over semi-gloss, but wasn't certain I could go the other way (still learning on how these behave).

So 3 very light coats of semi-gloss (letting it flash off, about 10 minutes, between each), then 2 very light coats of flat when I realized the semi-gloss was too much of a sheen to the rest of the shell).

I ran into a decal issue, might as well ask if others have seen.  On another project, I used decals from Highball Graphics.  The decals were all small and white on white backing paper and Highball recommended using a black sharpie on the backside of the paper to make the decals easier to see and said it wouldn't affect the decal itself.  I am a decal novice, and got that project done, but it always seemed the decals were hard to release.  Fast forward to this project with Microscale decals and they were also tiny, white, and on white paper.  I  used a black sharpie to color the backing paper, and also found the decals very hard to release.  It was enough of a challenge that I ran out of the small "2" at the last step and had to grab the second sheet I ordered (always have a backup sheet). I had not used a sharpie on the backside of this second sheet and the number released and slid very easily!  So, with a sample size of 1, I am inclined not to use sharpies going forward.  Has anyone seen this?  And if so, tried anything besides a sharpie to color backing paper to make decals easier to see?