Hi,
Can someone give me suggestions on how to remove factory numbers from a
engine? I have two engines with the same number.
Sincerely,
Chris
&nb
For us to recommend the right method, we’d need to know the brand and locomotive types. That said, there are several innocuous methods that may work:
- Careful scrubbing with a cotton swab moistened with isopropyl alcohol
- If they’re not by Kato, the same with DOT-3 brake fluid
- Mineral spirits, again on a cotton swab
- VERY careful scraping with a sharp knife blade
Other posters will no doubt have more suggestions…
In Jeff Wilson’s locomotive detailing book by Kalmbach he explains his method. If you get a copy of the book, it would help. Basically, he shaves off the unwanted numeral while it is dry. He takes a very sharp hobby knife and holds it flat against the surface and then scrapes the numeral. It may take many strokes to get it off. Jeff says to be careful not to cut under the numeral and into the painted surface below it.
I don’t wantto Hijack this but I want to do the same with a Rivarossi Berkshire. I have tried the blade, an engineers eraser (With the grit in it), and alcohol. Am I missing something here?
Hello All,
I use 3M automotive scratch remover and a wooden Q-tip. It is equal to 1500 grit sandpaper, it is technique sensitive so don’t rub hard. I have used this on Kato, Atlas, and Athearn locomotives with great success. If done properly, the surface will be left polished and ready for new number decals to be applied directly and finished off with a coat of Dullcote. By the way the compound can be found at auto parts stores for about 5 to 7 dollars and should last a very long time. Good Luck!
Most companies silk screen print the letters and numbers. Rivarossi uses an ink that will outlast a nuclear hit. I have stripped Rivarossi passenger cars and the last area to clean up is the lettering. My method, with varying degrees of success is to use Walthers Solvaset to soften the lettering and very light pressure with copious quatities of Solvaset to erase them
Try the eraser on the back of your pencil, I just picked up an old engine shell while reading your post and it removed the numbers with no problem
Oo-oo-oo, brother! This has been a good post with a lot of good information in it.
My method has been to get one of these eraser sticks mounted in a holder and very patiently have at it. It is time consuming but if you are careful you can eradicate the ink without marring the underlying paint.
I hope that you are not thinking or removing the complete number from your locomotive. Keep in mind that–with the exception of that “Standard Railroad of the World” whose numbering system for their steam locomotives was so wildly erratic and disorganized as to confuse all but the most rabid of fans–railroads tended to number their locomotives in blocks. If you have two locomotives numbered, say, #1274 eradicate the four from one of the lokes and change it to a zero; it now will be locomotive #1270 or eradicate the seven and change it to a six or, even better, to a five. You now have one loke numbered 1254 and the other numbered 1274 and this creates depth to your roster giving the impression of a larger fleet than just two locomotives.
I tried that on an N scale 50’ box car to try my hand at weathering. I ended up erasing more lettering off than I wanted. Now I just have a completely unmarked 50’ yellow box car. I’ve also seen this method on something to do with MR, I think it was a tip given in a Cody’s Office episode. Only difference is they used the 91% isoproply alcohol mented. I think if I did that it would have worked out. There was an issue a few months back in MR, April or May, that had an article about stripping a model. It may help. It was pretty neat when finished, repainted, and patched out for the RR being modeled.
This is what I have found that works - mostly from tips here. Each brand, and even run, can be different. Start with the easiest on the car and work your way down the list til you get the one that works for that car. Be careful, work in small areas and test when possible. As you go down the list note that some paint will come off as the process gets harder on the car. A little won’t hurt. A little more and you may need to touch up with a color that’s close. Know this - you won’t find a spot on match. You can blend this with a little weathering and no one will notice.
Start with a dry pencil eraser
Pencil eraser wet with a little isopropyl alcohol (not all “rubbing alcohols are isopropyl)
Q tip with more alcohol
Joe’s Decal Remover- from Walthers
Q tip with nail polish remover – dilute 50/50 with alcohol
Q tip with nail polish remover – 2 parts remover to 1 part alcohol
Q tip with nail polish remover – straight out the bottle
Haven’t found car that made me add to this list yet.