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Paint shop was open today.

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Posted by sir james I on Friday, February 17, 2017 6:53 PM

Good news on the paint. Paint bleed is a risk in most model projects.

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Friday, February 17, 2017 9:44 PM

Sounds like you got it taken care of Kevin Good job. Glad to hear it is coming out. 

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Posted by KRM on Saturday, February 18, 2017 8:28 AM

Well here are the shells so far. Still need to do some soft sanding on the edges to soften up the paint breaks and then decal the shells. Not the best but I think they will work. Never was good at building models. Laugh  Bang Head

Going to let them dry good before I decal.

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Saturday, February 18, 2017 8:42 AM

They do dang good to me, Kevin. Nice job. 

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Posted by KRM on Saturday, February 18, 2017 1:38 PM

Done till I get the Alaska eskimo guy for the boxcar.

 

 

 

It was fun, Could be better, Maybe next time.  Wink

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Saturday, February 18, 2017 2:11 PM

Look's nice

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Posted by sir james I on Saturday, February 18, 2017 4:58 PM

Looks good kev.

 

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, February 18, 2017 6:04 PM

Looks good.  You should have a nice looking set when the other cars arrive.

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KRM
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Posted by KRM on Saturday, February 18, 2017 6:11 PM

The other cars are here, Just have not got them out of the box yet. Will do it after the grand-son leaves or he will want them. Laugh

Thanks guys. The way I look at it is it is a win win,
 I bought a set of Texas Special 210 ALCOs for parts to build the 4 motor ALCO A-B-A set that had trashed shells with no front skirts and the driver unit needed gears. So, I had Hudson John swap out the drive gears and built the A-B-A set. Then I thought maybe I could make something out of what I had. The 4-motor set did not pull much better with 4 than with 3 motors. So I made this into a 2 motor A-A set. Front is a 202 reduced to one winding on the motor so it can run a 3 position E-unit and the last powered B-unit I built for the 4-motor set. This set is the result. Not bad for something that was trash bound.

 A fun project and I did it with things that were going to the trash. Big Smile

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by wrmcclellan on Saturday, February 18, 2017 6:27 PM

Kev - sweet! Nice job!

Regards, Roy

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Posted by brianel027 on Sunday, February 19, 2017 6:46 AM

Kev, I think your repaints here look great. A unique paint scheme that to my knowledge, has never been done before on an 027 Alco model.

I've been repainting junkers and everything else for decades using spray cans and have never encountered any problems. Many of the brands I've used are now discontinued (Spray-N-Go, TouchTone, Mirical, NOW) but have never encountered problems with paint destroying the plastic. The old Rustoleum was the one color I was aware of that could eat into the plastic - not a problem with the new 2X Rustoleum.

Years ago I did a fantasy Penn Central scheme and Rustoleum had a color that really looked like the PC green. Once I had completely covered the shell, inside and out, with a plastic safe primer, I was good to go with the Rustoleum. This is an old photo but I still have and run this loco.

Penn Central K-Line Alco FA repaint

Krylon is still available and I've been using that the most frequently. I've stopped using Testors Dull Cote as it yellows over time. I'm using the Krylon gloss and flat coat paints.

Another point to consider is the drying / curing time. I have found different colors of the same exact brand of paint can have differing drying times. There was one brand I was using that had a quick drying time on every color except for the rust colored primer, which took much longer to dry and cure. You always want to make sure that your paint is fully dry and cured before you start masking to apply another color - which it sounds like you did!

Masking is an art in itself and there is always the risk of some paint bleed. I don't like the blue masking tape though... I've encountered more paint bleed with that, than the reqular masking tape. And yes, those Alco shells can be a challenge because of the ribs sticking up from the body.

A thought for any future projects... do the yellow first, then mask off that area you want left yellow, then apply the blue. I'm sure you had to spray several good coatings of yellow paint to cover the blue, right? The multiple coats over a period of time will increase the probability of paint bleed.

What I would have done - given the way you did these - is to spray some of the blue you used into a small pie tin, and then brush on the color over the areas where you encountered some paint bleed. My hand is pretty steady and I have gotten very good at this technique.

Another trick you could have done - and can do the next time, is to get some blank decal stock, cut an inch or two from the long end of the sheet, and spray paint that the dark blue color. Then using a razor blade, a piece of glass and a metal straight edge, cut a thin strip like a blue pin line. And then decal that on to the rib of the shell where the blue and yellow meet to cover any minor paint bleed.

When I started repainting, I started with Plasticville buildings and then banged up rolling stock to perfect my skills and techniques. Kev, as I said, I think you did great for what sounds like your first repaint.

This is a hobby, meant to be fun. And sometimes you have to do some "modelling" to get the model you want. Despite the entitlement attitude that seems to be growing in the hobby, the train companies are not welfare organizations who are obligated to give everyone exactly what they want. They have to make profits. So that means sometimes the consumer has to do things themselves.

And I personally enjoy reading posts from modelers who have decided to do just that... create a model... even if it is only a repaint and not a scratchbuilt or customized creation. I did the next one over 20 years ago. I've since added some re-enforcements to the tabs on the car frame. If the tabs on the dump tray break, you can easily buy a replacement. If the tabs on the car break, fixing those is a paint. Lionel finally made a Conrail dump car a couple years ago - and it cost way more than mine did.

The man has a metal pin insert into the figure and then a small hole drilled into the end car platform, so the little figure stays put.

Lionel dump car Conrail repaint

brianel, Agent 027

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Posted by Firelock76 on Sunday, February 19, 2017 10:42 AM

Your Alaska Alcos look great!  Nice job!

Now you need an "Eskimo Pie" reefer for part of the freight consist.

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Posted by KRM on Sunday, February 19, 2017 11:09 AM

Thanks, Here is the whole train less a correct caboose.

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by KRM on Sunday, February 19, 2017 11:13 AM

brianel, Agent 027Thanks for the tips. I have learen a lot on this first shot.

I forgot to add,,,,I did have fun!

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Posted by rtraincollector on Sunday, February 19, 2017 12:05 PM

Outstanding Kevin. 

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Posted by wrmcclellan on Sunday, February 19, 2017 6:22 PM

Kev, that's nice! And I can hear approving grandkid hoots in the background!

Regards, Roy

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Posted by lion88roar on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 9:53 AM

Nice work Kev! They look as if they've always looked like that!

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Posted by KRM on Friday, February 24, 2017 4:39 PM

Got the Caboose today and that is it for the set.

 

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by Firelock76 on Saturday, February 25, 2017 8:13 AM

You know KRM, I just had a thought.  Fifty years from now I'll bet some Lionel collectors will be tearing their hair out trying to figure out just WHEN Lionel produced those Alaska RR FA's! 

Yes, they look THAT good! 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 6:24 PM

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