An Old Dog is Learning a New Trick


stationmaster

Crusty Old Geezer
OK, guys. I know that jaws will drop when I say I have NEVER redone a decorated car. Never repainted a decorated car. NEVER removed decals from a previously decorated car. NEVER repatched a previously decorated car. I've always purchased cars to be personally done undecorated.

So, time for some lessons from those of you that have made a practice of retagging engines and cars.

Question #1, how to remove decals?

The removal of paint I think I've got. I plan to use 91% alcohol. Or as I have done in the past to cover a mistake, or job I didn't care for, use a heavy primer. Not heavy enough to blot out the detail though.

Here's what I have. (2)Rivarossi E8's. One in AmTrak and the other in NP colors. These will be reflagged in C&O and Pennsy colors. I hav paint to do that without going out and buying more. The C&O will sport a bow wave scheme.

I also have a group of corrugated side passenger cars, IHC I think, in AmTrak. These will be redone in the blue and white of the Wabash RR.

Teach me here. Do I really need to remove ALL of the paint? And what about the decals? Best way to remove? i will be using a primer and probably oil based paint. Although I could use latex. I have both on hand.

Bob
 
Bob, unless the cars were custom painted, I don't think there are any decals. All the lettering was pad printed after the paint job. When you remove the paint, the lettering should go with it. Might take a little work with a Q-tip and alcohol but the lettering should come off. As long as you remove all of the paint on the flat surfaces, I wouldn't sweat a little still being in things like the molded on grab irons and such. On passenger cars, the paint job is really judged by how good the sides and roof look so those are the two areas I'd try to strip as cleanly as possible.
 
Actually, Jim, the passenger cars look to have decals along the area of the windows. I'm thinking a good soaking in warm water may do the trick. Not too hot, though. I don't want to warp the plastic.

Bob
 
I'm a big fan of Pine-Sol for removing decals. A 15 minute soak and the decals wipe right off. (Those that haven't floated free on their own that is. Will remove latex based paints as well.) Rinse thoroughly in warm water and you are ready to go.
 
Bob, the Pine-Sol will work fine for removing decals but, unless those cars were decaled by another modeler, there's no way AHM/IHC ever used decals on passenger cars. Another way to remove decals is brush on some Solvaset and let it soak. That will always remove decals.
 
Didn't work. lol

All I have here is Microset and Microsol from Microscale. I think I'll give the Microsol a whirl. Seems tht it would be the best for what I want to do. Wish me luck.

Also having a problem separating the bodies from the "bottoms". These are not the high quality cars I'm used to dealing with. The skirts seem to be a part of the undercarriage. Any ideas? I've tried the "ol' put a screwdriver into a crack and pry" route. Didn't work and I don't want to break them.

Looks like the project may get a little more involved than I'd hoped. But nothing that would be considered major. The bolsters for the trucks are cheap, and will need to be redone with the truck change. And I'm going to have to get the Kadee swing-type couplers and coupler boxes for the long passenger cars.

Bob
 
I don't have any corrugated side cars to go by but on my AHM / Rivarossi heavy weights the roof and windows are one piece and the sides , ends, and underbody are another piece. On the bottom of the car are 4 tabs out by the side overhangs. Push them in to release while gently lifting the roof and work your way along and the roof / window assembly pops right up. If they built the cars you have the same way it will work.
 
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These are tricky. The skirts are attached to the bottoms.

Most of my passenger fleet, as I collect passenger trains(gotta collect sumthin'), are either Wathers or Athearn with a few IHC. I do have 5 or 6 brass set also. These are quite easy to disassemble. One needs to be an advanced safe-cracker for these new cars. I'm about to try some black powder and blow them apart.

By the way, the Pine-Sol didn't work, nor did the Micro-Sol. I guess that the alcohol is next. But the markings sure look like decals and not paint.

Bob
 
Bob, even with the skirts attached to the bottom, it shouldn't make any difference getting the car apart. All AHM/IHC cars have a roof (which is one pieces with the window "glass" attached) that pulls off the top, leaving the floor and the sides. As Mike said, look for the four clear tabs on the bottom of the car and use two thin blade screwdrivers to push these in. At the same time, use another thin screwdriver to get under the roof and start wiggling. If you do one side at a time, there's a slim chance you won't break off any tabs. No problems if you do, having three or only two tabs left will still hold the cars together. Now, if these aren't AHM/IHC,then they may be Con-Cor. In that case, you have to pry for the bottom since the car body is one piece and attached to the floor by black plastic tabs.
 



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