Guys,
I’m looking to start painting some engines but I have a concern on whether I leave the handrails on or take them off and paint them separate?
[:D]Zak,It is my policy to leave them on since they need to be painted anyway same applies for the grab irons.After all most handrails are the same color of the body.Now IF the handrails are a different color then the body then of course I will remove them and paint them separately.
Different modelers has different views on this as you will soon see.[:D]
I would assume you take them off. I tok my handrails off for the engine i’m going to paint.
Hope this helps,
dekruif
I usually take them off, that way I can paint the ends white more easily. In my case SP. it’s a pain trying to paint the white handrails that go down along the body at the steps. Personal preference.[:)]
I find it less cumbersome to paint a shell with the handrails off. The spray pattern of an airbrush will often hit the side of a shell unevenly with the handrails on.
It’s also easier to mask the shell with handrails off if your paint scheme is not a solid color, which I assume Zgardner will have to do if he is painting up some Montana RailLink locos. 
I am definantly in the camp of take them off. Some of the guys mentioned some good points.
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They wont get in the way painting
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Wont mess up your spray pattern or run the risk over painting the rails.
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Less likley to break one while handling it. If you are doing 2 or more colors, you will be handling it alot.
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WAY easier to mask off the shell
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Much easier to paint the inside of the railings.
Now,all that said, if you are doing a single coat color, taking them off then, isnt that big of deal, and if you pay extra attention, you can get away with it… You just have to be very careful to avoid over paintinge the rails while you are trying to paint the shell, and watch out for the supports on the rail, blocking paint on the shell.
My guess is that I should take them off but I saw a picture of Pelle Seoberg’s SD40-2 had the handrails on right before he painted it. I would think that the handrails would get in the way of getting a true amount of paint on the body. Then I would assume to paint the handrails by brush (unless you think this is a bad idea), and then apply them. Every example I see of airbrush painting of an engine, or anything in general, is to go with a 90 degree angle with the airbrush to your model and move from one side to the other. I would think that by doing this the handrails, if on, would get in the way of applying paint to the body. Wouldn’t that true?
One issue with handrails is the plastic material. If you are using a hard setting paint like Floquil, it will chip off when the handrail flexes. Modelflex is more flexible, so I paint handrails separately using this. Unless I am using Smokey Valley handrails which are all brass, then any paint will do.
Zak,Actually they don’t nor do they breakup the spray pattern or so my experience showed me.IF that was the case then I would remove the handrails…As far as these new spaghetti thin scale handrails I much prefer to leave those things on because they are so blasted fragile and hard to find a glue that will hold those suckers…
Depends on the type of loco your painting honestly, Some locos you paint, yeah leave em on. certain locos, pull em off. Example ! I bought an undecorated switcher a proto sw900/1200. It was easy to paint with the handrails on. Example number 2 ! I purchased a kato sd70 undecorated. It was easier to paint with the handrails off not to mention you have install them on yourself anyway. But as one of the fellow members just stated with the handrails off the paint will spray on evenlly on the body. Hopefully this will help.
I usually also take them off.
A modelers trick for painting Delrin and acetal handrrails (this one from Weaver Trains) : Prime the handrails with NAPA’s #7223 Polypropylene clear primer. This primer is intended for flexible parts on cars (for bumpers etc.) and stays flexible forever. Once primed you can paint with just about any paint and you’ll be able to tie the handrail in a knot without the paint flaking off![:)]
Other options for handrails are Tamiya’s and/or Faskolor’s paint for Lexan R/C bodies, especially when used with the Napa primer. Disadvantage: you have to mix the color.