I have a set of Rapido CN passenger cars in the wet noodle paint scheme. I model GTW, which is the exact paint scheme. Only an orange GT instead of CN on the white stripe. The Rapido cars have the CN insignia painted on so it is not as easy as removeing a decal. What I would like to do, is repaint the white stripe and add the GT decal. I don't want to do a complete repaint on all the cars, just due to the time and I have other projects to get done too.
I have a couple of Walthers CN sleepers in the same paint scheme... of course the shade of white is different. However, from what I am seeing online it is not uncommon for prototype paint schemes to have different shades either because of paint fading or what was in the shop when the cars went in for paint.
Do you have any recommendations about how to change my CN cars to GTW? The paint scheme of the prototype was the same, just different lettering. I know Rapido released GTW... unfortunetly that was long after I bought all my passenger cars.
NILE, the method of lettering that works for me 100 % of the time, regardless of manufacturer is, to take a well used #11 blade in a hobby knife and slowly chip away at what I want to remove. Trick is to use the tip of the blade only, letting the weight of the knife apply the pressure. Start at a point on the offending lettering and simply guide the blade back and forth over the CN lettering, keeping the side of the blade at a 90 degree angle to the car side. If I remember correctly, CN's streamlined passenger equipment was smooth sided so rivets and weld lines shouldn't be an issue but, if there is detail in the area, get as close as you can with the chipping method. When you have removed all you could with the knife, I find Testors Universal Enamel Thinner on a Q-tip usualy makes quick work of the rest around the detail. Sometimes there is a "ghost" of the removed lettering that was removed left behind. A gentle scrubbing with a pink pencil eraser takes it off and, in many cases buffs out the area to the extent, I have skipped applying a gloss goat for decaling in small areas. I have used this technique for over 30 years on locomotives (changing Cotton Belt to Southern Pacific and vice versa) and rolling stock (stripped everything from a Tangent PS 4750 Con Agra covered hopper except the big Con Agra logo so I could re letter it with white vs. black dimensional data and reporting marks). Two things before you start using this method: Try your hand first on a junker you can afford to practice on. ALWAYS use a blade that is losing its edge. A sharp, fresh blade will dig into your model, and then, you've got to repaint anyway because of the repair work you have to do. I like this method better than trying to disolve the lettering with solvents that may attack the paint we're trying to save, or discolor it, or worse, eat into the model. You also have much better control, only removing what you want to. Good luck and success!
NHTX:
Thanks for sharing your paint removal method.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!