Antonio,
How fragile is the Alclad finish (i.e. handling), and what type of clear coat do you apply over yours? Also, I've heard of people painting Alclad over Future. Do they do this instead of laying down a base black coat?
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
BigRusty,
I wasn't aware that the Society produced HO scale cars! Do they still produce the 8600s and are they kits or RTR?
Philo,
That is indeed bright. Impressive!
An HO streamliner applied with the Bare Metal Foil would definetly need to have the finish "notched down" slightly.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
BigRusty wrote:I am going to hold off on doing my NH 8600s until I see your pics. I will probably do the Walthers and TPS Budd Lounges for the Senator consist I am working on first. I need to do the interiors first when I get the research done on the interior colors.
Rusty,
Are your 8600s the Eastern Car Works kits?
farrellaa wrote:Not to sound stupid, but just what is Alclad II and where can you get it? I have been very disappointed with the finish on most of my streamliners (Concor and Athearn). I would like to try this method.
Here's the website. Here in my neck of the woods I've found Alclad model painting products in Hobby Town stores.
http://www.alclad2.com/index2.html
And does it come in an airosol can
-Morgan
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
AntonioFP45 wrote: simon1966 wrote:Antonio, these look superb. Great job on the interiors as well. With all the research you have made into this subject over the years, you should write a book!Thank you Simon. I'm humbled by your encouraging words, but I give the credit to our fellow member, CMarchand, whom I've known for many years. His knowledge and enthusiasm of American passenger trains influenced me to take modeling "varnish" a notch higher. But the cool factor about this is that it's is easy to do if one already knows how to apply solvent or acrylic based paint with an airbrush. Just takes a little patience to yield some pleasing results. My intent with this thread is to stir up more interest in this aspect of modeling. (CSmith, hint-hint!)
simon1966 wrote:Antonio, these look superb. Great job on the interiors as well. With all the research you have made into this subject over the years, you should write a book!
Thank you Simon. I'm humbled by your encouraging words, but I give the credit to our fellow member, CMarchand, whom I've known for many years. His knowledge and enthusiasm of American passenger trains influenced me to take modeling "varnish" a notch higher.
But the cool factor about this is that it's is easy to do if one already knows how to apply solvent or acrylic based paint with an airbrush. Just takes a little patience to yield some pleasing results.
My intent with this thread is to stir up more interest in this aspect of modeling. (CSmith, hint-hint!)
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
The metalized car on the left is is one of the Rivorossi's. The non-metalized car on the right is a Walthers SCL Budd car, which I would like to metalize. I'll do more shots outdoors as paint finishes appear differently under flourescent light
Go for it CSmith. I think you won't be disappointed. Remember to take your time and allow the black to cure thoroughly before applying the ALC 107.
My goal is to eventually metalize the Walthers Budd cars. IMHO they're already beautiful but need that sheen to capture the look of the prototype surface finish.
I still have the Metros and 4 E&B Valley New Haven 8600 series coaches to metalize first. I'm strongly considering leaving the Metros with a high sheen as even under Penn Central ownership the prototypes were kept reasonably clean.
AntonioFP45 wrote: GAPPLEG wrote:Antonio , which Alcad metallic color did you use, looks good , I've used chrome on cars of course not trains.That's the one! It's product number ALC 107. IMHO, in looking at photos, the chrome finish resembles polished stainless steel more than the Alclad stainless steel formula, itself.
GAPPLEG wrote:Antonio , which Alcad metallic color did you use, looks good , I've used chrome on cars of course not trains.
That's the one! It's product number ALC 107. IMHO, in looking at photos, the chrome finish resembles polished stainless steel more than the Alclad stainless steel formula, itself.
Thanks for getting the pics up. I guess you remember when I experimented with the stainless, and didn't like it. I am going to try the chrome next, especially after seeing your results. My wife is going to Honduras for four months this summer, so I will have plenty of time to get to the Sunset Limited project, and I will hopefully get some pics up of the results of my first cars around July.
BTW, it looks like the FP-45s should be out very soon!! I can't wait, especially after seeing some pics of the finished warbonnet models.
Thank you Ivan, Loathar
Yes, Gappleg. That's the one! It's product number ALC 107. IMHO, in looking at photos, the chrome finish resembles polished stainless steel more than the Alclad stainless steel formula, itself.
Jerry SP FOREVER http://photobucket.com/albums/f317/GAPPLEG/
Thank you! My Metroliners are next in line.
My dilemma......
No, I have not applied decals yet. A friend noticed that these Rivorossi cars have rivets along the windows and rounded vestibule door top openings. Since then, I've looked at many photos and can't find prototype streamliners exactly like these. I was hoping that CB&Q, SAL, ACL, Southern, or NYC had this design but none of them did.
A freind of mine thinks that it's likely that Rivorossi got these from Budd blueprints of 1939 series streamliner cars that, when actually built, were modified and didn't have these rivets or the rounded vestibule door tops. Anyone have any info?
A few more shots.
Again, here I toned the sheen down just a tad, with a thin coat of clear.
I've had modelers ask me about paint metalizing finishes being too shiny and toylike. I just show them prototype photos, like these below, and that pretty much erases all concerns......
Hello Crew,
Please forgive the photo quality as I'm still learning how to use a digital camera. You can click to enlarge most of the photos.
The first photo is a " before" scene. One of my unmodified Rivorossi streamlined cars with no interior.
This is one of the cars after I cut off the skirts, repainted in gloss black and shot with Alclad II. A painted interior has also been added. I applied a thin coat of semi-gloss to tone down the sheen depth slightly. I took this one outdoors and didn't take into account the trees casting shadows on the car's sheen. My goof!
These are a diner and observation lounge cars. The "blueish" hue on the dining car is from the reflection of the sky. All of these cars have modified IHC interiors.
This one was taken indoors under florescent lighting.
During the process do not touch the shell(s) with your bare hands. Wear latex gloves if you must move them. I cut out a paint stand for my passenger cars from a styrofoam block that housed a new computer at my job. So once the shell is on the that block, I won't have to touch it until the paint job is complete.
1. Wash your shells thoroughly in warm, soapy water. Dawn or Ivory Liquid soaps work very well and leave no residue.
2. Make sure the surface is smooth and doesn't feel slippery. It's better not to scuff the surface unless absolutely necessary. If so, "very lightly" scuff the surface in one direction with a 3M gray scotch pad (available at most Home Depots).
3. Mask off the interior walls and all window openings. Final clean the surface with wax/grease remover.
4. Air brush needle size should be either medium or fine. Apply 1 to 2 thin coats of high gloss black paint to the exterior. I've been using Scale Coat II Gloss Black #S-2010 (add a few drops of white to give it a charcoal look) in the 2 oz jar. Mix 1 part thinner to 1 part paint. Air Pressure at 20-25 psi. Practice applying the black on scrap styrene or junker rolling stock first. The key here is that the final finish appear smooth and slick. Allow a minimum of one week for the paint to cure thoroughly.
5. Alclad II Chrome: Airbrush needle size: fine preferable but medium will work. Air pressure: between 12psi and 15psi seems to work best. The fan width should be very narrow.
Lightly spray each coat in long strokes, as if you were using a slim paint brush. Don't dump it on! After your first coat, wait 10 minutes. Yes, it looks dark gray, don't worry, that's normal " />. Apply your 2nd coat. Make sure you get into the little crevices around the diaphrams. After you finish this 2nd coat, WALK AWAY from the shell and don't look at if for at least 15 minutes. Come back and check it out. If it's still a bit dark, apply a 3rd thin coat of the Alclad. You'll likely be smiling when you finish. Don't worry if it looks too shiny.
6. Wait 1 day and apply ONE thin, even coat of acrylic based Gloss Clear coat. This will tone the shine down slightly. If using solvent based clear, wait at least 4 days.
7. After letting the clear cure a day or so, apply your decals.
8. Apply another thin coat of gloss clear to seal your decals. Your model's finish should be similar to my Rivorossis' finish.
Decision time. If you want your cars finish to appear more "aged" then add another coat of gloss clear, and so forth.
However before toning down the sheen too much, check photos of the prototypes. The Santa Fe, Atlantic Coast Line, and CB&Q did a nice job of maintaining their streamlined cars' overall appearances.
High Greens " />