I recently picked up one of the new undecorated Walthers SW1s off eBay - with the intention of painting and detailing it for my NYC fleet. I also have a few undecorated locomotives in storage - with the same purpose in mind. Since I am currently in between layouts, I’m not exactly sure when that will happen.
At any rate, I was curious about the methodology of painting undecorated shells and detailing. I have read a little online but don’t have any books at the moment to glean painting information/tips from.
When painting a shell: Is it best to paint the detail parts - i.e. handrails, stirrups, tanks, horns, bells, etc. - separately then add them to the painted shell? Or, is it better to attach them unpainted to an unpainted shell and paint them both together?
I’m presuming that each shell and the amount/type of detailing might dictate one or the other approach…or somewhere in between. I was just curious how folks generally approached the painting aspect of an undecorated shell.
NOTE: The detail parts provided with the Walthers SW1 are all separate and NOT attached to any sprues.
That’s a decision that I make for each piece I add.
For example, I might have a part or subassembly that will be an entirely different color. So I paint it separately and add it later.
For “assorted little beensy parts”, I generally add them and paint them with the model. If I don’t, I have to hold them somehow for painting, and then risk damaging them or their paint as I add them.
Other concerns might be how difficult it is to paint under an applied part-- if it’s too problematic, I would add it later. Also, if there’s masking to be done, that could affect which option I choose.
I envision an NYC switcher as being all black with some decals. Which gets me thinking I’d add all the parts first. Then spray it all black. And etc.
BUT.
It’s conceivably there might be a reason to hold off on attaching one or two.
I like to first remove any cast-in details that you want to change, like grating, fan screens, fan sizes, cast on grabs, etc., then I add the new replacement details, such as ladders, grabs, hoses, piping, eye hooks, etc., then I prime, say if it’s a black shell, or I haven’t been able to remove all the previous paint, to make everything an even color, than finish paint. I’ve done hand rails both ways, painting first and after assembly. Just go by what makes sense for your situation. Decals can be easier sometimes, if you do the hand rails last.
I also add any detailing to the cab, while I can still seperate it from the body. It’s just easier for me that way.
Thanks for the reminder about cleaning the shell and parts before painting, Antonio.
To answer your questions, I’ll be modeling the older “pre-safety yellow” handrails & safety stripe SW1s - like the one pictured below:
I haven’t decided on the method and paint brand yet. This won’t happen for a little while so I have time to mull it over. And you’re correct about the NYC “black” being a relatively easy paint scheme to fabricate. This would make for a nice first time project.
Found this pic on the Fallen Flags site:
Note the lantern hanging off the right side of the front headlight. That would be a very cool detail to add.
About all I can say is the guys above covered it well.
One thing to considder is a primer coat, just to get a base that is all one color. Maybe not that necessary for a black locomotive, but a grey primer tends to show up any defects in the shell like body putty that did not get sanded completely or some flash that did not get removed all the way. Primer is a necessity for models that are painted in lighter colors; the lighter color paint can show up with a slightly different shade on metal detail parts or those details that are a different color than the base plastic.
