Which paint do you use?

[Guy Papillon]

I am about to finish the assembly of four freight cars that I have to paint. During the last years I extensively used Tamiya paints with an airbrush for buildings but only once for two tank cars in black and I  didn't  like the results when it was time to decal the cars. The paint is way too flat. I like Tamiya paints because they are easy to dilute with plain isopropyl alcohol and cleaning the airbrush with window cleaner (Windex) is a fast and effective. Although, those paints are not designed for railroad modeling and I would have to mix different colors to achieve a "Box Car Red".

Any recommendations about an easy to use acrylic paint offering model rairoad colors? Actually I need black (tank car) and CP Box Car Red (wood box car).

I wanted to try the new Rapido Paints but couldn't find them in nearby (50 miles) LHS.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Jimmy_Braum]

Badger is good. Water cleanup to. 

[zstripe]

Guy Papillon

The paint is way too flat.

Guy,

You do know that Tamiya does have different finishes for their paint line, in mostly all colors.....Gloss which is marked with an x- then#, a Semi Gloss which it will state on the bottle then X-plus # and a dead flat which also will say on the bottle with an XF- then #. I use Tamiya paints alot and found it very easy to mix Railroad colors. For any sealer for the finish...I use Vallejo Satin Varnish which is 100% Acrylic Resin, which can be brushed on without hurting the paint....something You can't do with Dull-cote. Tamiya also makes Polycarbonate paint used mostly for RC bodies, but can also be used for hand rails on engines, will not flake or chip. There are many paints out there, that although not Railroad specific, in fact are dead ringers for some of the colors.

Keep this handy color chart for Floquil Railroad colors in PDF format, that shows what brand paint matches what color:

http://www.microscale.com/Floquil%20Color%20Chart.pdf

Sorry for the bold type above.....I pressed the wrong button and don't want to change it....I'll mess it up.....LOL.

Take Care! 

Frank

 

[BroadwayLion]

LION uses paints picked up at Walmart or Hobby Lobby

 

ROAR

[dstarr]

I use a lot of rattle can paint.  Really useful are the Rustoleum and Krylon auto primers.  Dark gray auto primer is great for car under carriages, heavyweight passenger car roofs, and steam locomotives.  Light gray auto primer for covered hoppers and tree trunks, and red autoprimer for boxcar red, and brick red. 

[BRAKIE]

Guy,Besides my older Polly-S I use MicroLux and would like to find the new Rapido Paints..I may have to order direct.

[chutton01]

dstarr

I use a lot of rattle can paint.  Really useful are the Rustoleum and Krylon auto primers.

Rustoleum "Painter's Touch" 2x Coverage primers really whips the llama's butt. I use them quite a lot - very smooth finishes. The only problem being there are only 4 colors offered (I checked on the Rustoleum) - White, Red, (Dark) Grey, and Black, which I think is really very dark grey. If they only offered a few more colors...

[RR_Mel]

When Testors dumped Floquil I went to Tru Color Paint.  They have a good selection of railroad colors and it works great in my airbrush.  Most of their colors are gloss but Dullcoat takes care of that.

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[Uncle_Bob]

You could always just use the paint brand you've been using, and clear-coat it with Future before decaling the cars.  Just a thought.  Otherwise, give Tru-Color paint a try. 

 

[MikeFF]

Having good luck with Vallejo and Micro-Mark.  Takes some getting used to for thinning and figuring air pressure.  I've found that adding Golden Air Brush Medium (well, duh) vastly improves airbushing and virtually eliminates clogging.

[emdmike]

I am slowly switching over to True Color paints as my older Flo quil, Polly S and Badger dry up or go bad.  Getting hard to find many of the paints.  Hawkin's Rail in Lafayette has an awsome selection for those able to get there in person.  With Jack in failing health, not sure he is mail ordering like he used to.  Still an awsome selection for now, espically in the spray cans for those that lack an air brush.  Will be air brushing with True Color for the first time soon.  Almost have my O scale diecast F3 ready for GN EB colors.  Need to pick up acetone for clean up, that is new for me.  Mike

[ricktrains4824]

Guy,

Badgers Modelflex fits the bill for acrylic paints in railroad specific colors. It is my go-to for rail specific colors, generic colors, and weathering, use craft store paint.

[j. c.]

I still use lacquer for metal (mostly old floquil and some auto colors)for plastic it is now badger or cheep paints from craft store thinned with liquitex air brush medium. on a sad note my last 10 cent jar of pactra died.