Is anyone aware of a manufacturer who produces clear decal film on a medium colored carrier paper? I’m one of the lucky ones with a still-functioning ALPS printer and can print white decals for the Nickel Plate but trying to see white lettering on near-white decal paper is tough for most and worse for me; I’m nearly blind.
I read somewhere that one could use a permanent marker on the back of the paper but this didn’t work at all for me. I’m looking for (ideally) paper that is a medium shade of some color so that the white lettering shows up much better. Any suggestions will most certainly be appreciated.
I use Champ’s clear decal sheets (no longer available), but also have a package of the same from Walthers, and both use light blue backing paper.
Unless you’re planning to make lettering for some particular Nickel Plate equipment, you may wish to check out what’s available from C-D-S. They offer eight different sets for boxcars, two for hoppers, three for covered hoppers, two for flat cars, and three for cabooses.
While C-D-S is no longer in business, there seems to be a lot of their stuff available, and a quick search should yield several sources.
I did this Train Miniature car using the '40s lettering scheme:
…then, when I decided to take the layout back to the mid-to-late '30s, re-did the car using an earlier lettering style:
While this is a more modern car, it still dates from the '30s and was lettered using the same set:
C-D-S lettering is dry transfers, but if you’re more comfortable working with decals, you can apply the lettering to clear decal film, overspray it with Dull- or Glosscote, then apply it as you would any decals. While I generally prefer dry transfers, they can be particularly tedious to use when lettering car ends, and I often apply that portion of the lettering as decals.
I know exactly what you mean about not being able to see white lettering on a white carrier sheet decal paper. I don’t own an Alps printer so I like to use the Evan Designs decal paper. Although it is easier to see decal lettering on the paper when cutting out the decals, your lettering disappears when you wet the decal making it quite difficult to align the decal on the model.
I think Frank’s suggestion of the blue carrier sheet decal paper is best, especially since the manufacturer suggests using it in an Alps printer.
Frank,
Please don’t take this the wrong way, but reading your frequent (and very welcome) posts is a little bit like following a two-foot driver in an automatic equipped car. Please take your foot off the comma key. All those pauses are making me stutter!
