Trying to re-letter/re-number rolling stock

[Southern1970]

Hi all,

I’m trying to re-letter/re-number a BLMA n scale PS4000 hopper.  Originally in Frisco scheme.  Haven’t done this before so this is the first time I tried this.

1st photo is the intended recipient.
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2nd photo is the result after applying a lot of microscale microsol and using tape to try remove the decals (took a lot longer than I thought it would).  Please excuse my butchering effort.



Wanted to ask, what is the best way to get rid of the ghosting from the original Frisco decals?

Cheers

[peteski]

If it was a factory-decorated model then you were removing Tampo-printed ink lettering, not decals.

As for ghosting, it might be possible that a coating of clear lacquer (like Testors Glosscote or Tru-Color clear) would blend it all together. Water-based clears will likely not work at all. But no guarantees.  In the worst case, you might have to repaint the entire car.

[Southern1970]

Thanks Petesk.  I know I have a can of some testors dullcoat somewhere, but I’ll need to check if I have some gloss coat.
Was hoping to avoid respraying the hopper.

[davefoxx]

@Southern1970,

When I use MicroSol to remove lettering, I use Q-Tips to scrub the lettering away.  Try that to minimize the ghosting.  You can watch the color on the Q-Tip to make sure you’re not cutting into the paint finish too much.  You will end with glossy spots where you’ve “buffed” the paint, but that will be remedied with your clear coat of choice after you apply new decals.

Hope this helps,
DFF

[Southern1970]

Thanks Dave, that sounds like a really good idea using the q-tips with microsol.  Will try that in the other side of the hopper.
Cheers

[Bendtracker1]

Just thinking outside the box and looking at it from a weathering point of view.
You could apply tape over the areas where the original remaining data is now, then repaint the car with the new color and apply your decals.

Remove the tape and it would look as if it was an older car that has been repainted with new stenciling applied?
It would be a good start for weathering.

Just a thought...

[Southern1970]

Thanks Allen, I might check that idea out too.

[sd45elect2000]

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Most of these cars I repainted and relettered 20 or so at a time. The cars that didn't need repainting because the colors and lettering were suitable got the numbers painted out and new ones applied. then they got weathered, alot.

[davefoxx]

Thanks Dave, that sounds like a really good idea using the q-tips with microsol.  Will try that in the other side of the hopper.
Cheers

@Southern1970,

To display my results in photos, I removed the lettering with MicroSol and Q-Tips on this Athearn Geep to change the lettering and numbering (including the numberboards) from the Seaboard Air Line to the post-merger Split Image Scheme of the Seaboard Coast Line.  I have not yet clear-coated or weathered this model, but you can see that the Athearn lettering came off really well with minimal ghosting.  Like the prototype's renumbering in the merger, No. 1900 became No. 1053.  What I really like about this relettering is that I may have one of very few models, if not the only model, of No. 1053 in this scheme.  I do not believe that it's been offered by the model manufacturers.  Relettering is sometimes scary, but the results can be fantastic and unique.

BEFORE:



AFTER:



That said, I could have left some of the lettering, because a few years later, the prototype often looked like this:





DFF

[MK]

(Attachment Link)

Most of these cars I repainted and relettered 20 or so at a time. The cars that didn't need repainting because the colors and lettering were suitable got the numbers painted out and new ones applied. then they got weathered, alot.

Those look like Atlas ore cars.  I'm assuming you removed the fake looking plastic loads and coat them with the appropriate Woodland Scenic (or whatever brand) "stuff".  How did you removed the loads without damaging the perimeter of the car?

[sd45elect2000]

Yes, they are Atlas and a few Trix cars. All of the plastic loads got tossed and Hay Bro. Loads installed . Some loads didn’t come out easy but I was carful with a bunch of toothpicks . The top sills on the real cars were pretty beat up anyhow so I wasn’t concerned about damaging the top sills but I didn’t really damage any of them . I drilled holes in the top , threaded a wood screw in and pulled them straight up and out.
I used TruColor paint, K4Decals , oil paints and AK interactive for streaking rust and a coat of dullcoat mixed with scalecoat grime to seal the lettering.
I have a bunch of the Atlas plastic loads if anyone wants them.
I did a smaller group of taconite cars with extended sides from Fine N Scale products painted Testors model master dark grey with a black wash from Tamiya
Randy

[MK]

Thanks Randy!  That idea of inserting a small screw and pulling off the load sounds like a great idea.  And if I was going to cover the loads with "stuff" anyway, the hole(s) can be easily sealed and hidden.

I do worry about damaging the sill as I'm not yet ready to weather them.