Masking hand rails

[nickelplate759]

I've got a Bachmann H16-44 that I want to repaint, but I cannot for the life of me get the handrails off intact. They are already the right color, so the railings don't need to be painted.    I've tried all the usual tricks (freezing, etc.) to no avail.     I don't want to make metal railings.  So I've decided I want to try to repaint the engine with the railings in place.
I see two options:
1. Paint over the railings as I paint the body, then repaint the right color.  This can work, but in my experience doesn't wear well. The railings would have 3 coats of paint on them (primer, body color, railing color), which is a lot.

2. somehow mask the railings as I paint the body, then remove the masking.

I'm thinking about the masking option, and wondering if anyone has tried it and has some experience to share.
Wrapping the railings in tape doesn't seem like it would work, as it will almost certainly keep the walkways and body behind the railings from getting painted properly.   I' wondering about using something to coat the railings that would prevent paint adhesion - something like Vaseline maybe?      Then I could easily remove the coating and the paint along with it.  What might be a good choice for the coating?

Thoughts or experiences?

[DKS]

Apply rubber cement to the railings. May take a couple of coats to get it all covered, but after painting the body, just gently rub the paint and cement off of the railings. (I would not use anything like Vaseline, as this would be a mess to completely remove.)

[SP-Wolf]

I would use Microscale's Micro Mask.

Micro Mask is like masking tape in a bottle, only better. Simply apply it with a brush, let dry,
and cut it to any shape desired with a sharp pointed hobby knife. Peel out the part where the
paint is to be applied, leaving a coating of Micro Mask covering areas that do not receive paint,
and then apply your paint. However, do not use water-based paints with Micro Mask, because
it is water-soluble. Note, more than one coat may be necessary to build up some depth in
thickness making it more easily removed. Irregular surfaces, odd shapes, any detail that you
can cut with a knife – Micro Mask is your choice for all these difficult masking challenges! There
is also the added bonus of paint not creeping under Micro Mask, unlike regular masking tape.
To remove Micro Mask after the paint has dried, simply rub a piece of masking tape onto the
Micro Mask, and then pull it quickly away. In difficult areas, applying water to the Micro Mask
will soften it, and then it can be removed with an old toothbrush.


Wolf

[peteski]

Liquid mask sounds like a good idea.  Whatever kind you end up using (rubber-cement or water-soluble).  I usue liquid-masking quite often. I usually use latex-based masks (ether watercolor artist's mask or solder maks used when wave-soldering PC boards), but I do use water-soluble masks too.

To add to the choices, there is one item you probably already have:  regular Elmer's white glue.  Just coat the railings with it and let it dry. Once done painting, you can immerse the shell in warm water and after several minutes the glue will reabsorb the water, turn white again, and you will be able to easily remove it.

[Santa Fe Guy]

You could try some Tamiya masking tape. It comes in a few sizes.
Just run a strip behind the length of the handrail in one piece and then another along the front. Just keep it a tad higher than the walkway.
Tack the top of each piece to one another and then lightly air brush your loco.
I have had success doing this and it saves a lot of work.
Rod.

[MK]

https://www.amazon.com/DIVELY-3000-Liquid-Masking-DIVR3000/dp/B000X4MV4Q