How to decal number boards – ideas please.

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Ok, so I have now got my Microscale decals for my Athearn Challenger, (decided on Rio Grande in the end to match the coaches I bought). I think putting the decals on the tender and on the cab side should be fairly easy. However I am not sure how to put the numbers on the number boards at the front. At present the number boards are clear plastic with a bright LED’s behind. I am wondering what is the best way to put the numbers on the number board.

As the LED’s are bright and can’t be turned off, I was wondering if it would look better if I printed out the numbers in white on black and printed it out on transparent film then cut this to size and glued this to the number board. What sort of glue would be best so as not to make the backing look cloudy? How do others put decals on the number boards of your locos.

Thanks for your help.

Paul

2

Print it out on clear lables from Office Depot. Peal and stick.

David B

3

You can tint the number board first to tone down the LED brightness, Testors makes a translucent black window tint. Then just decal as you planned.

If you have access to some old Tyco diesels, like the GP20 or Alco C430, they have a milky white plastic number board that conducts light and can be removed. Simply file off the cast on number and put in your own with black decals. I’ve done this one with several of my diesels, but it should work on any back lighted number board.