Decal removal

Woodie

Active Member
I'm looking at buying a new passenger set, based on the prototype are of my layout. It is the "Overland" (Melbourne/Adelaide) that was first run in the early 60's. Teh commercially available sets have the latest logo (new company acquisition) on them, however the cars are original of the era (and the protptypee that is running today, still is the original scheme, except for the new logo. Is there a way of removing decals from commercially produced rolling stock?
 

George

Member
Hello Woodie!

A friend of mine used the same colours for his fictitous line as The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio. Quite by coincidence.

He purchased a set of 1930 smoothside GM&O passenger cars and all he had to do was remove the old lettering to make way for his custom decals. Tadaaaaa! No painting. He achieved this by painstakingly ERASING the old lettering with a pencil eraser. He had to go very gently so as not to disturb the paint below, and it was very time consuming. The old lettering was silk screened on the plastic. His cars now look as if they were custom ordered.

You might try that, or if the logo is indeed a decal, you may have to first gently remove the clear finish on top of it with something like nail polish remover. Then again, you risk messing up the paint job! Any chance of covering the current logo with the old one?

Shamus, what do you think?

George.
 

Woodie

Active Member
Thanks George,

I had not really thought of nail polish remover. The new logo has been added to the rolling stock, not replacing existing logos's etc. I just wouldn't want it to damage the finish of the cars. The are commecially manufactured, and as such, are not "painted" as the plastic is already coloured appropriately. I might try the pencil eraser first.

TOOT!
 

Virginian

Member
Woodie,
Please keep us posted. The info might just come in handy in the future...I have a hard time finding "my Roads" out here...will probably use any tried and true methods that come along the pike, eventually. Thanks

Thanks to George too.
VGN
 

shamus

Registered Member
On the market is a product called Poly S Easy-lift-off you buy it at most model shops to remove decals. Some modellers use PineSol cleaner, which you have to wash with soap and water, then rinse it , let it dry then apply new the decal. Also a paint stripper from Bachmann called Chameleon model paint remover that will remove everything.
 

Woodie

Active Member
Thanks guys for the tips. But I took the easy way out. Dug to the depths of the bottom shelf of my supplier. VOILA! Just the cars I wanted without the new logo decals! I dont have good pics of the prototype or my stock, but I'll put them on my webpage when I do.

TOOT!
 
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