Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Painting an Atlas Undecorated RS-1

8916 views
72 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,204 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, November 9, 2017 2:54 PM

GlennK

I would be hesitant to paint an engine this way unless it was the only one I was going to do for the rest of my modelling career. 

It is, and therein lies my dilemma.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Thursday, November 9, 2017 4:42 PM

 If you used a spray can, by now the engine would be painted and ready for decals...

Just saying..

Have you used a spray can to paint anything else? Did it turn out OK? If so, so will this loco..

                                        --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,204 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, November 9, 2017 7:37 PM

Randy, you are such a party pooper. I was having so much fun till you went and pointed that out.   Super Angry

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Heart of Georgia
  • 5,406 posts
Posted by Doughless on Thursday, November 9, 2017 7:57 PM

Maybe a good start would be to actually form a consensus about which manufacturer makes a green closest to the C&NW green Rich wants to use, which I think was his actual question way back when......

I think one of the dark green military colors offered by one of the producers would give the best array of choices.  The advantage being that paints for military colors are typically flat, which stick like primer of course.

IIRC correctly, the C&NW loco has really small decals, so there isn't much reason to paint the whole thing glossy.  I would just use a flat paint from a rattle can....one coat....then brush on a bit of Testors Glosscote just where the decal will cover it up.

Better than using a primer.....railroad hobby paint (which is typically gloss)...then dullcoating back to flat for that realistic effect.   All of which, of course, would be three coats.

So if the RS-1 indeed has mimimal decaling, you could probably get a more realistic and thinner overall paintjob by going with the rattle can since you get the final desireable flat finish with just one coat of paint. 

Just sayin'

Also, being less than totally serious, if you mess up painting a plastic loco shell a solid color solely because you used a rattle can, I think you should extend your golf season. Big Smile

- Douglas

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, November 9, 2017 8:02 PM

In the time that this discussion has been underway, I have painted four brass locomotives and tenders (multiple-colour paint jobs), and have them very close to being ready for decal work, and painting started on a couple of Branchline reefers.
I've also repaired a damaged brass tender, and some broken details on two of the brass steamers, shortened and rebuilt and detailed a Bachmann tender, and added weight to five Bachmann steam locomotives.

Get the spray can and be done with it!

Wayne

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,204 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, November 9, 2017 8:05 PM

Wayne, you are such a party pooper. I was having so much fun till you went and pointed that out.   Super Angry

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, November 9, 2017 10:11 PM

Wow Rich, is there an echo in here?  I swear I just heard that, Laugh  I've done many sraycan and air brush paint jobs.  The airbrush is cool, but before I had one, using a can never stopped me from painting what I wanted to paint.

Mike.

  • Member since
    November 2017
  • 1 posts
Posted by Vito on Friday, November 10, 2017 9:39 AM

Rich,

Didn't read all the replies so my apologies if this redundant.  I've painted a lot(close to 100) cars and locos, mostly with an airbrush but some with spray cans.

Not sure if anyone else said this but....I always do a "first pass" paint job on a scrap shell.  That way I can adjust my technique for what ever paint and method(air brush or can) I'm using. 

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, November 10, 2017 6:19 PM

doctorwayne
In the time that this discussion has been underway...

.

I am not as productive as you are, all I have done is paint a boxcar with a three color scheme. Green and cream sides with black roof and ends.

.

I also put decals on a different boxcar.

.

Please... just shoot it wild a quick coat of Krylon Fusion Kelly Green and get this project done! Please post pictures of the final results.

.

This is a TOFC car I painted with cheap rattle cans when I was in high school. Over thirty years later it still looks OK.

.

 

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,204 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, November 10, 2017 8:37 PM

mbinsewi

Wow Rich, is there an echo in here?  I swear I just heard that, Laugh  I've done many sraycan and air brush paint jobs.  The airbrush is cool, but before I had one, using a can never stopped me from painting what I wanted to paint.

Mike. 

Hello, Mike, hello, hello, hello.

LOL

Yes, you did hear an echo.

It has been exactly one week to the hour since I started this thread. But, when I read all that Wayne and Kevin have accomplished in the past week, I feel like a total slacker.

Actually, I have made some efforts to move this project forward. Earlier this week, I tried to shortcut the whole process by contacting Atlas Customer Service about the possibilty of a C&WI RS-1 shell that might still be available from a prior run. No dice.

Then, I went up to my attic and sorted through every large storage box, searching for a Badger airbrush that I thought I had seen up there a year or so ago. I do have a can of Badger Propel in the basement, so I know that at one time I bought a Badger airbrush from my LHS, although I never used it. But, alas, I could not find it.

So, I will probably purchase an 8 ounce spray can of C&NW Green in the Scalecoat II brand. My current problem is the outdoor temperature. I will have to do the spray painting in the garage and it is in the 30's out there. So, the painting will have to wait. But, it will get done.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,204 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, November 10, 2017 8:40 PM

Vito

Rich,

Didn't read all the replies so my apologies if this redundant.  I've painted a lot(close to 100) cars and locos, mostly with an airbrush but some with spray cans.

Not sure if anyone else said this but....I always do a "first pass" paint job on a scrap shell.  That way I can adjust my technique for what ever paint and method(air brush or can) I'm using.  

Thanks for those comments, Vito. I appreciate it.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, November 10, 2017 8:54 PM

Rich, I've done that, painting in a cold garage.  If it happens to be sunny day, I plan everything, getting all materials together, warm up the paint can in some warm water, go out on the sun lite back patio, or in the garage, get the painting done, and quickly get the painted parts inside.

It works.  Good luck!

Mike.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,204 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, November 10, 2017 8:57 PM

mbinsewi

Rich, I've done that, painting in a cold garage.  If it happens to be sunny day, I plan everything, getting all materials together, warm up the paint can in some warm water, go out on the sun lite back patio, or in the garage, get the painting done, and quickly get the painted parts inside.

It works.  Good luck!

Mike.

Thanks, Mike. I have read that submerging the rattle can in warm water for about 5 minutes will ensure a smoother, more consistent spray.

Rich

Alton Junction

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!