Kevin I was surfing ebay and saw this and thought of you and this thread http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL-O-GAUGE-ALASKA-1502-LOCOMOTIVE-PASSENGER-CARS-CLEAN-/222425147426?hash=item33c9926822:g:KFQAAOSwB-1YtekW
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
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!
Got the Caboose today and that is it for the set.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
Nice work Kev! They look as if they've always looked like that!
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Kev, that's nice! And I can hear approving grandkid hoots in the background!
Regards, Roy
Outstanding Kevin.
brianel, Agent 027Thanks for the tips. I have learen a lot on this first shot.
I forgot to add,,,,I did have fun!
Thanks, Here is the whole train less a correct caboose.
Your Alaska Alcos look great! Nice job!
Now you need an "Eskimo Pie" reefer for part of the freight consist.
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.
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.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Kev - sweet! Nice job!
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.
A fun project and I did it with things that were going to the trash.
Looks good. You should have a nice looking set when the other cars arrive.
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Looks good kev.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Look's nice
Done till I get the Alaska eskimo guy for the boxcar.
It was fun, Could be better, Maybe next time.
They do dang good to me, Kevin. Nice job.
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.
Going to let them dry good before I decal.
Sounds like you got it taken care of Kevin Good job. Glad to hear it is coming out.
Good news on the paint. Paint bleed is a risk in most model projects.
Please sitck to the point guys!
On the paint of the ALCO shells, Getting there but it is a fight with rattle cans.
SJ, no issues with the paint and plastic,,,,,,,,but.
The paint still leaked past the masking tape in three spots. Stuff is too wet coming out of the can no matter what you do. I thought I was back far enough and barely laid it on? I am going to do some touch-up then do the decals and close the paint shop after I put the stripe on the boxcar I shot today.
I did burnish the mask and thought I had it tight as I could, but there are so many little bumps and things it could not hold back the leaking. So a bit of the tape, paint and painter is the problem. It will all work out good if I only take videos as it is running.
So as long as it is running on the track and the perfects back off, it will be fine.
Pictures later.
Contribute something worthwhile, you are your own worst enemy.
Okay I got ya SJ, Yeah right a lot of paint will eat / melt the plastic. I think you will be safe with the two we have discussed here. Plastic safe. I always test it on a place where it won't show to be sure. Like inside the shell some place.
No not lifting. Some store spray paints actually eat into the plastic before it can dry. Not holes just messes up the plastic surface and leaves a rough finish.
sir james I Kev which paints work without etching the plastic? S.J.
Kev which paints work without etching the plastic?
S.J.
That is why they don't have the 24 hour dry paint I used on the shells SJ, They don't make it anymore. I had it on the shelf since 2006
When I put the first coat of Fusion on the raw shells it lifted some but I think it was because I put it on to heavy and wet. Not because of the paint. Some 400 sanding a week later and it was all good.
The 2x paint looks promising. Some brands I use to use now etch the plastic. Change of formula for the envirement don'tcha know.
I see Ryan is back hiding behind a new name. Still the same.
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