End of the line for Floquil and Polly Scale paints

[Carl Swanson]

Testors has announced that it is ending its Floquil and Polly Scale lines of paints, including dozens of model-railroad specific colors. Testors will continue to take orders from retailers and ship paint for a limited time based on available quantities.

In addition to Floquil and Polly Scale, Testors is also ending its lines of Pactra and ColorArtz paints. Floquil paints are solvent-based, and Pollyscale acrylic paints are water-based.

Floquil has been a staple of model railroading for decades; the first advertisement for Floquil paint in Model Railroader was in 1947.

Testors will continue to produce products under the Testors, Model Master, and Aztek brands. It is uncertain whether some of the model railroad colors will be offered under the any of those brands.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I wonder when they intend to announce this on their website?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Found this on Testors Facebook page:

Many of you have expressed disappointment regarding our decision to exit Floquil and Polyscale. Decisions such as these are never easy. Trends in model railroading have changed over time.
Creating product for weathering and scenery has been more of the focus as train cars have moved to pre-decorated. The good news is that the same great products for weathering and scenery can be found in Testor's CreateFX line that is available now.
Please check your local hobby shop or www.testors.com and search CreateFX for information regarding this product line.

[Firelock76]

WHAT?  WHAT?  I've got a whole collection of  World War One aircraft I built as a teenager 40 years ago all done in Polly-S paints!  That stuff was a God-send!  No more smelly fumes and easy clean up.

Now what?  Do I keep the Polly-S paints I've got on hand now as collectors items? 

Somebody stop the change-train, I want to get off.

[fifedog]

Floquil was always my paint of choice.  Easy to thin, easy to clean, rarely clogged my Badger, and always resulted in a good finish.  Downside, I probably shaved 5 years off my life with the solvents (even with spraybooth and ventilator mask).

[stebbycentral]

None of this surprises me.  Years back I went into a LHS looking for some Caboose Red.  When I asked the propietor where the paint rack was, he led me to a cardboard tray with about two dozen bottles of mixed brands and colors.  No Caboose Red. 

So I asked why this was all the paint that they had in stock.  He replied that no one scratchbuilds anymore, it's all RTR so why bother.

[Carl Swanson]

Update, courtesy of our friends down the hall at Model Railroader magazine:

Testors told Model Railroader magazine in an email that it has no plans to move colors from the Floquil and Polly Scale lines to another line. Testors noted that colors used for weathering and scenery can be found in Testors’ CreateFX line of paints.

[hscsltb]

ugh!

[tjl0824]

That's not good, what are we going to use for silver paint now? That stuff was a perfect match to Lionel's. Guess I'll have stock up on it LOL

[stebbycentral]

So my question is; who makes the paint for the MRR manufacturers?  Are they going to be unable to get paint to finish their product?  There must be some supplier out there, or this would mean the death of the RTR market as well.  Or in the future evey model comes in one version - "Undecorated"

[richhotrain]

stebbycentral

So my question is; who makes the paint for the MRR manufacturers?  Are they going to be unable to get paint to finish their product?  There must be some supplier out there, or this would mean the death of the RTR market as well.  Or in the future evey model comes in one version - "Undecorated"

I don't have the answer, but that is a great question, and I have wondered the same thing.

Anybody?

Rich

[sir james I]

I THINK: that weaver still has a line of RR colors, problem is the selection of colors is limited..

[Firelock76]

stebbycentral

So my question is; who makes the paint for the MRR manufacturers?  Are they going to be unable to get paint to finish their product?  There must be some supplier out there, or this would mean the death of the RTR market as well.  Or in the future evey model comes in one version - "Undecorated"

There's exceptions to every rule.  Considering the sheer volume of paints purchased  by MRR manufacturers some-one will always be there to make it for them.  If there's money to be made there's always some-one to fill the demand.

[stebbycentral]

Firelock76

stebbycentral

So my question is; who makes the paint for the MRR manufacturers?  Are they going to be unable to get paint to finish their product?  There must be some supplier out there, or this would mean the death of the RTR market as well.  Or in the future evey model comes in one version - "Undecorated"

There's exceptions to every rule.  Considering the sheer volume of paints purchased  by MRR manufacturers some-one will always be there to make it for them.  If there's money to be made there's always some-one to fill the demand.

The Chineese, yes.  But what about the small domestic manufacturers?

 

[Firelock76]

Domestic manufacturers?  It's a question of volume.  If they need enough of it to make it worth someones while to make it, it'll be made.

[Dannyboy6]

I recall asking Lionel service about the color of paint they use on some of my coal cars and they said they didn't know...I wonder if the guy in China that paints them has a website ;0)