It's awkward, but not impossible.
There are two options. First, you could print on white decal paper. Instead of just printing the numbers and letters, print the whole area including the background color, either red for the number or gray for the road name. This requires matching the colors and using a bit of weathering to cover the seams.
Alternately, you can paint a white rectangle on the engine and then use clear decal paper. Again, though, you've still got to do a color match.
I've had pretty good luck matching colors by putting the painted model on my scanner bed and scanning the whole thing in. Then, I select an area of the image, not just a single pixel, and use that to "paint" the decal color. This blend of very similar colors over an area instead of a single pixel results in a better match to the model.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Piece of cake. Not hard to do at all. Contact me off list.
Dan
Gidday Kyle, to the forum.
I would suggest that the only way you'd get a Buckingham Branch Locomotive would be if you painted and got some custom decals made, for your own. The red and gray is a paint scheme in my opinion.
HO GP 7 s and GP40 s are readily available, Intermountain is advertising GP 10 s, and have recently announced a GP16.
Lifelike Proto 2000 made Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac # 103 and #104 GP7s ,but not #101.
Have Fun,
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Athearn has the two bay covered hopper in the BB name.
Russell
I'm modeling a short line railroad in central VA, Buckingham Branch. The paint shceme on their loco's are SP Dark Lark Gray w/ the cab and trim in SAL Chineese Red. The lettering is UP Style all caps, red letters w/ white border.
Does anyone make Red Letters w/ White border? I have contaced 1 or 2 "custom decal" makers and they say it can't be done.
Any help or advise would be much appreciated.
Brian
Highball Graphics has produced Buckingham Branch decals. Two sets for the diesels are available on their website. A set of caboose decals are set to be released soon.