Help with a Union Pacific N scale kitbash for a beginner.

[Ed Fury]

Okay I ordered a Kato C44-9W #9702 in hopes of doing this minor change.

As delivered and lots of road use.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1318845

Rebuilt and repainted after a fire.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3121484
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3594350

How do I get the Union Pacific off the side of the model? Buy UP yellow paint and brush over or do I buy something like a solvent to removed the logo?

I figure this has to be an easy start for a beginner but figure that asking I might get some tips that would be helpful from someone that has done this stuff for years and or decades.

[SOU91]

You can use decal setting solution and a pencil eraser going lightly.

[thpbears]

Agree with Sou the decal setting solution then lightly rub with a pencil eraser. I learned long ago trying to paint over the decal regardless of the coats put on you can still see the decal. Taking it off is by far the best way to go.

[NSMoWandS]

I have also found(and don't ask how please! LOL!) that Pine-Sol also will remove factory paint. Test accordingly though! DE Dan.

[Ed Fury]

My only painting experience was about 15 years ago a local hobby store went out of business and sold all their stuff for like 50 cents to a dollar. I bought every piece of HO scale Union Pacific rolling stock they had and decided to spray paint some of them one day, a few cabooses or something. I left them to dry overnight and when I checked on them in the morning the spray paint had melted the plastic. I've never messed with painting anything after that.

I didn't want to "melt" a basically brand new and compared to fifty cents pretty expensive piece of model railroad equipment this time.

I should probably seek out additional resources like a local club or business that can fix my mistakes and pick up a few books.

I figure start easy. If I screw it up I can always just get some rust colored paint and the GE can be in the pre-rebuilt & repainted more prototypical toaster phase.

[NSMoWandS]

Chances were that you were using a spray paint for metal. Most paints have what they are "good" for on the back label. Using any "hobby" paint should be okay(eg-testors, tamiya). Even some "auto" hi-temp exhaust paints will work on plastic... but, best to test on a scrap piece of styrene before using on a model. DE Dan.

[NSTopHat]

Since you are an admitted novice at this, first I would recommend stripping the model with 91%, not 70%, isopropyl alcohol instead of Pine Sol. Kato doesn't actually paint their models with paint, they use ink. And, if not done properly, Pine Sol can eat some of the oils out of the plastic shell and will turn it into a crumbly mess. From the voice of experience, Pine Sol will eat brass....

First break the locomotive down into as many indiviual parts as possible, including removing the sideframes and fuel tank from the chassis. You will not need to strip these last three items. In an old or dedicated plastic tube, soak the parts for stripping in the alcohol. You should be able to remove the paint from the shell in a couple of hours. You also want to use an old tooth brush to help remove the paint from the crevesses of the model. I would try to start scrubbing after the first 1/2 hour and see how it is coming along.

From a paint stand point, you can paint it with either an airbrush or a spray can. For the spray can method use either ScaleCoat II Engine Black #2010 or a glossy brlack from Tamyia. These two companies make the finest spray can paints avaiable. They will lay a thin coat of paint in one pass. Keep the can ~6-8" from the model, so that the paints goes on wet, but not heavy.

If you go the airbrush route, you can use ScaleCoat II again, as it comes in a bottle, or PollyScale Engine Black, Floquil CSX Gloss Black of TruColor Engine Black. For the Polly Scale you will want to apply a coat of gloss or semi-gloss clear in order for the decals to fully adhere without having them "silver" on the model.

Keep in mind, take your time!

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Russ

[NSMoWandS]

Let me clarify about the Pine-Sol... For removing all the paint from a model I would NOT use Pine-Sol. What I have found it is good for is... If you wanted to remove "lettering" without ruining the factory paint. And then, use lightly on a Q-tip. I thought Ed just wanted to remove the Union Pacific lettering... not strip the entire model. DE Dan

[NSTopHat]

Let me clarify about the Pine-Sol... For removing all the paint from a model I would NOT use Pine-Sol. What I have found it is good for is... If you wanted to remove "lettering" without ruining the factory paint. And then, use lightly on a Q-tip. I thought Ed just wanted to remove the Union Pacific lettering... not strip the entire model. DE Dan

Dan, et al;

Please do not think that I am advocating against using PineSol. I use it myself on stingy paints from time to time. My concern was if the OP'er wasn't careful he'd potentially ruin a shell on the first try.

Regards,
Russ

[Ed Fury]

I just wanted to take off the Union Pacific logo. But after retrieving the model a few minutes ago from the mailbox I'm not sure I'll be able to do what I had planned as the paint scheme is not correct on the Kato model. That red line zig zags on both real life versions and on the model it is straight all the way across. It also doesn't have the wings on the front nose like in the photos. Oh well.

[Ed Fury]

Okay I have additional related questions so I'll keep it in one thread.

I found undecorated KATO shells on eBay. I know 9702 is a low number board. But what about the walk ways?

This one is low number board with wide shell.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNDECORATED-C44-9W-LOW-NB-6-STEP-WIDE-SHELL-ASSY-KATO-N-Scale-921320-DASH-9-/370886830403?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item565a93e943

This one is low number board with narrow shell.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNDECORATED-C44-9W-LOW-NB-6-STEP-NARR-SHELL-ASSY-KATO-N-Scale-921330-DASH-9-/350863214778?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item51b113c8ba

I can't tell the difference.

There's also a Gull Wing? And then there is the whole five or six step?

I see 5 steps in this photo.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3594350

But does the deck count as a step too? Like five steps and the landing or six steps including the landing? The other unit of the far left of the screen clearly has one less step.

So I am guessing I need a six step low number board but I don't know about the wide or narrow.

[NSMoWandS]

Ed, basically the wide vs narrow has to do with the end porch handrails. See link.
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,414482

DE Dan.

[Ed Fury]

Thanks.