Reading Company/ Jersey Central Decals

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Folks, I enjoy modeling the railroads that made up the old Royal Blue Route, B&O-RDG-CNJ. I’m pretty well set for B&O decals, but since Champ closed up shop the other two railroads have been rather difficult to locate decals for. I’m speaking of pre-1960 lettering schemes.

Does anyone know of a good source for such decals? I believe there’s a hobby shop back in New Jersey that specializes in such things but can’t recall the name, nor any others since Rail Graphics shut down as well.

Thanks for any info.

Barry P.

2

The model railroad shop in Piscataway NJ has CNJ decals from a company that I will post later when I find th he name. There is also a guy on Ebay that sells CNJ decals that he makes, ( he also owned a hobby shop in the past, I believe. Tom’s Trains)

3

Since you didn’t mention scale, I hope it’s HO, because there’s a supplier under the name of Reading Modeler selling HO Reading decals for 1950s and newer RDG freight equipment. His website is www.readingmodeler.com or, you can find him listed under decal suppliers on the Great Decals site at www.greatdecals.com .

CAUTION: He got his decals from Rail Graphics which is exiting the decal business and until a new supplier is found, some sets are going to go out of stock, so, don’t delay, linger, or wait.

4

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. After checking out the mentioned sources it looks like the Model Railroad Shop would be my best bet. They don’t have a listing that I can find but I can certainly email them for more information. I think this is the shop I was trying to recall.

thanks again gents.

5

[C):-)]Barry,

Like the 1st calv- sleeve patch. I know this is off topic but my dad was commander of the 1st. calv at Camp Schimelphinig in Japan right after Korea. We were stationed there and lived in the old barracks across the street from HQ. I had to get on a bus every morning to go to school up the road at Camp Tagajo, which we eventually moved too and my dad was then second in command.

Robert Sylvester

Newberry-Columbia, SC

6

Robert, thanks for the note. Your dad had a proud job, commanding in a great outfit like the 1st. Cav. I served in several different divisions and none of the others could match that outfit. They actually treated us like they valued the troops as humans and not just mobile rifles. If you were wounded you knew that’d fly you out, night or day, hot LZ or not. If you were surrounded they would fight their way to your relief. Great unit.

7

C-D-S offered dry transfers for those roads (usually specific to particular cars - the C-D-S catalogue shows four sets for CNJ steam locos, another four for diesels (early-to-mid '60s), two for passenger cars, one for a service combine, four different ones for boxcars, one for gondolas, two for open hoppers, six for covered hoppers, and three for cabooses.
Except for the diesels and the service combine, all lettering sets are suitable for pre-60s.

This is the only CNJ car I have, the first one too modern for my '30s-era layout lettered with C-D-S…

…and the same car, re-lettered with a different, more era-appropriate, C-D-S set…

For the Reading, the catalogue shows one set for a steam loco, four for diesels, one each for passenger and head-end cars, and four for boxcars. All sets except three of the ones for boxcars are suitable for the pre-'60s era.

Here’s one of the Reading sets on a Train Miniature car…

C-D-S is no longer around, and their excess stock and artwork was bought by Ozark Miniatures, although I don’t know what, if any, they have in-stock. There was some talk of eventually re-releasing the catalogue as decals, but I don’t know if there’s been any progress on that. I did buy some former C-D-S alphabet sets from them, re-done as decals, but the ink was not very opaque, especially as compared to dry transfers.

C-D-S sets turn up quite often at local train shows, and I’m speaking of major amounts, not a few dozen sets.

I much prefer dry transfers over decals, but many folks don’t, as yo

8

Wayne, thanks for your information and offer. I’ve done some research on available decals and found quite a few available from Westerfield, Funaro and Bethlehem Car Works. I’ve used a fair number of Westerfield decals in the past and liked them a lot as they’re very similar to using Champ decals. Dry transfers are also available from Clover House for some equipment. I haven’t checked with the Model Railroad Shop in Jersey yet but I understand they have some very good offerings.

So I guess, with my existing stock, I should be able to meet most of my needs. But I’m grateful for your offer to help out.

Best wishs and I sure enjoy looking at examples of your kitbashing.

Barry P.

9

Thanks, Barry. Always glad to help out when possible.

Wayne