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I am thinking about purchasing this engine:
I want to know how to change the road number on it. Does anyone who models Guilford know what's the best color to paint out the road number that would be barely noticeable? (closest to the color of the engine as possible) I would also have to paint out Guilford Rail System and put on a decal that says Springfield Terminal.
Also, how does one change the numbers on the numberboards on an Athearn RTR?
Athearn engines are notorious for being hard to paint match. Your best bet is Floquil Polly S #414372 Guilford Gray. Use some isopropyl alcohol to remove the original number and logo. Just painting over them will leave them showing when you redecal. If you have an airbrush, just mask off the rest of the engine and paint the needed areas. If you don't have an airbrush, you might be able to get away with brush painting with a very fine sable brush and even strokes. Airbrushing will give you far better results though.
how do I soak the areas with alcohol without ruining the rest of the paint job?
I don't have an airbrush but I've found that rolling the paint on with a cotton swab will put on an even coat and does not leave any stroke marks.
how do I soak the areas with alcohol without ruining the rest of the paint job?
I don't have an airbrush but I've found that rolling the paint on with a cotton swab will put on an even coat and does not leave any stroke marks.
Use that same Q-tip with the alcohol. Dip it in the alcohol, dab the excess off on a paper towel. Then rub the numbers with a little pressure. Mask off that red stripe so you don't mess it up. You may have to re-dip your Q-tip a few times. Watch the numbers carefully, they start to disappear all of a sudden.
You could also follow the prototypes lead and patch them out with a similar color of gray.
Depends on the look you're after.
How about the numberboards? Are those painted on too?
How about the numberboards? Are those painted on too?
Check the lighting first, but I don't think the numberboards on Athearn's are lighted, so yes, just painting over them should work. Paint over the number boards with the background color, looks like black to me, then use microscale decals and apply over the numbers. I think the numbers are small enough that you don't have to remove the existing numbers before painting over them. Unlike the numbers on the side of the cab and the lettering, they shouldn't show through.
The numberboards on the Athearn Ready to Rolls are lit. They have a bezel at least in the front if not both side although Athearn puts in two grain of rice bulbs where the headlights are.
The Qucik-Plug equipped locomotives have the grain of rice bulbs installed, the ones without have the old bonfire light.
Is there a way to get the numbers off of the bezel?
If they are lit, the number boards are probably pad printed. You should be able to remove the numbers the same way as the other details, with alcohol and a q-tip. You will also remove the black paint at the same time, leaving a clear piece of plastic. If you get the Microscale decals with the black background and white lettering, the white is thin enough that number boards will appear to be lit. If you just paint the current number boards black and add new numbers, not much light is going to get through.
In the "old" days, you could remove that lettering on any Athearn with a plain ole pencil eraser. Not sure about their new stuff from China.
Thanks cjcrescent, I'll try that first.
Also, I will be getting some Atlas engines (SD26, GP40, and GP40 High hood). Are those any easier to change? I will definitely be changing the road number on the SD26.
No, none of them are any easier to change. Some of them are impossible to change if they have raised numbers of the board, so you have to fabricate new number boards. Of all the parts of diesel detailing, getting number boards right is one of the hardest.
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