I started painting my Walthers El Capitan Hi-Level interiors. They really pop out at you when painted. And they look so much more realistic then the typical tan Walthers interior.
The coaches are pretty easy with just seats and a few wall panels to paint. The diner took a little longer. But the lounge, man did that take a long time to paint.
Here’s the lounge:
Have you painted your Walthers Hi-Level interiors yet? I’d like to see some photos if you have.
SWChief,
Wow! Beautiful, very meticulous work. I’ve saved your photos for basic reference as Santa Fe cars (single level, of course) often ran on east coast trains in sleeper run through as well as pool service.
Your El Capitan is going to be a first class train all the way around!
No, that project is in queue after all the projects for the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society convention in June.
Your’s are looking good and definitely an inspiration.
Below is a list of paints and colors I’m using.
Most are acrylics from Michaels. A lot I had on hand from previous HO structure projects. The few I purchased specifically for these interiors include; Reef Blue, Sweet Potato, and Indian Turquoise.
I didn’t bother painting much of the lower level on the coaches and diner since you can’t see much through the lower windows. Plus I’m putting shades on the lower level of the coaches. Pretty much all I’m painting on the lower levels is the entry way with silver.
Coach
Seats:
Apple Barrel - Reef Blue (21348)
Floor:
Americana - Mississippi Mud (DA094)
Walls:
Americana - Indian Turquoise ( DA087)
Metal Parts:
Dazzling Metallics - Shimmering Silver (DA070)
Diner
Seats:
Apple Barrel - Sweet Potato (21381)
Floor:
Americana - Mississippi Mud (DA094)
Walls:
Americana - Indian Turquoise ( DA087)
Metal Parts:
Dazzling Metallics - Shimmering Silver (DA070)
Lounge Upstairs
Seats/Chairs:
Mix of Apple Barrel - Sweet Potato (21381) with a little FolkArt - Nutmeg (944)
Curved Couch Seats:
Americana - Cocoa (DA259)
Table Tops:
Splotchy undercoat of FolkArt - Nutmeg (944) and a splotchy top coat of Americana - Camel (DA191)
Floor:
Mix of Americana - Mississippi Mud (DA094) and Americana - Plantation pine (DA113)
Walls:
Americana - Indian Turquoise ( DA087)
Walls:
Americana - Camel (DA191)
Metal Parts:
Dazzling Metallics - Shimmering Silver (DA070)
Newsstand Top:
PollyScale - Oily Black (F414326)
Lounge Downstairs
Great looking. I hope to do something similar soon.
Did anyone besides me run into a problem of the ladders at the baggage doors on the transition car interfering with the truck gear? I removed them until I can find some others for side mounting.
Walthers products seem prone to ladders causing interference to trucks, also steps on cabooses.
Hal
Nice job Chief. Lounge looks cool.
Here’s a very crude pic of the Step Up coach I finished adding headrests to today.
Sorry for the photo quality. I used my cell phone as my sister has the good camera.
When I get the good camera back I’ll take some better photos.
Here’s the scaled headrest I’m using:
I insert this image into a Word document. The image is scaled on my computer but I doubt it will scale by posting it online. The image size I use is (0.156" wide by 0.171" high).
After inserting the image to a Word document, I copy and paste the image to get lots of mini headrests to print on one sheet.
I print these in color. And yes I have to cut out each one. I glue them to the seat backs with tacky glue.
Phew [zzz], lots of time and repetition to do it. But in the end I think it is totally worth it.
Excellent work! I agree that painting the interiors improves the appearance of the Walthers cars. I popped the tops and sides off mine to paint the interiors using toothpicks and #0 brushes. It was a bit of work and took a while, but I think they look much better. I also added end gates on the open vestibule ends and masked off and painted the center posts on the 48-seat coach’s windows. All that’s needed now is to add people and some window shades in some of the windows.
Kevin
Nice work Kevin.
I like how you painted on the window bars. Thankfully the new Hi-Levels have excellent window bars. Guess Walthers keeps improving as time goes on.
Got some better photos of the first Step Up coach in my consist.
I did not like the few reversed chairs (what I call “group seating”). So I cut them out and flipped them so all seats now face forward. The few tables that were included were also removed. Looks a lot better and more prototypical in my opinion.
Oops, looks like I forgot to paint the screw tops the same color as the floor. It also looks like I have to push the roof on a little better in that last photo. But I’ll be back inside again to add figures…and to paint the screw tops [:$]
When all the inside/detail work gets done I’ll add the car number decals.
stop it now,are you kidding me ! that is just over the top [bow] head rest potecters you guys are killin me…that looks sooooo good…Jw
Really great work and I am sure it takes a lot of time.
Are you going to have plates and silverware with other details in the diner?? Please give us more pictures of the finished interiors when you have time.
Did you photo print the patterns on the tables??
Great detail work!
CZ
Kind of reading my mind on the diner [:D]
I have plate settings for my Intermountain Hi-Level diner. So I have to open the old diner up and swap its plates, etc…to the new Walthers diner. Next thing on my list to do.
The table tops were brush painted. The real pattern was a little different, based on the photos I have. Sort of a Hopi/Navajo inspired pattern. Here’s a photo link of a real Hi-Level lounge taken in the 1960s (Lounge Interior Link)
I couldn’t find any color images of this pattern. But since it is so small I just went with a simulated “wood” Formica look. The interior color info I have mentions Shell Oak Formica for the table tops.
In Greg Stout’s “Santa Fe through Passenger Service Volume 1”, on page 20, there is a color photo of the interior of a Hi-Level lounge car. In the bottom, center of the photo part of one of the table tops can be seen behind the lady with the bee-hive hairdo.
The table’s light color appears to be close to the same color as the ceiling and walls (sand, tan, or light khaki color often seen in industrial uses) and dark brown or black for the patterns.
Jay
Thanks for the photo tip Jay.
Didn’t even know it was in there. But yep, great color photo right there on the bottom of page 20. Thanks again for the heads up.
I also noticed some beverage menus in that photo [;)]
Thanks for the links also. Be sure and post some finished pictures of the diner interior!!!
Thanks again
CZ
I got my tube of goodies for purchasing the Walthers hi level cars, and one of the things in there was a reproduction of the brochure advertising the hi level cars. It has the color ads, so I am going to work off of that for the interior colors (the same ads that you posted for everyone in the other thread). Thanks for posting this info. Good reference material for all. I just need to set aside time to tear my cars down and get this done.
Wasn’t that a nice treat from Walthers. Great poster too.
One thing to watch with the brochure colors is the upstairs lounge round couch seating, called banquette and settees in my materials. Both the Walthers repro and original brochures show them the same red as the table seats. But they actually were beige…according to the written materials I have.
Hope to post some photos of the diner interior soon.
If you recall, we were discussing the colors of the coach seats against the “pamphlet” in another thread. For some reason the printed material in the Walther’s “goodie tube” looked more accurate than what you posted in that thread, even though that was the same thing. I guess the color settings on my computer must have made it look too dark.
Also, I fgured out what I am going to do with my TSP hi levels. I am going to just use them in a late era San Diegan. I really don’t want to just retire or get rid of them just because I have the newer cars from Walthers. That would eat up one of my step up coaches and two 72 seat chair cars.
It was probably my scanner messing up the colors. It’s an older HP model that needs special conversion software just to use it with Windows Vista 64 (what my laptop has).
Nice idea on how to use the old TSP cars.
I have the original TSP kits, Intermountain assembled, and now the new Walthers Hi-Levels. Kind of Hi-Level crazy [:o)]
I plan to use my old Hi-Levels as a display with the new Walthers LAUPT kit…which I finally got. But another thing to build.