I’m seeking advice on removing the road name and/or number from HO scale steam locomotives.
Any insight or suggestions would be appreciated.
oregon shay
[#welcome] If you tell us what manufacturer made the locomotives you might be able to get advice specific to the paint used by that maker from the paint experts on the forum.
I use 99% isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) to strip shells. I recently did an Atlas FP7. The BN lettering came off very quickly whereas the paint took considerably longer. You might try rubbing the lettering with a Qtip soaked in rubbing alcohol. If all you get off is the lettering paint then you should be OK. However if the Qtip starts to turn black then you are removing the body paint so I would either try a different technique or proceed very carefully.
Dave
Depends…
When I had to remove a crappy repaint job (acrylic) from a locomotive shell, which was already cast in blue plastic, I used Castrol Super Clean Engine Degreaser. I let it soak for 48 hours, cleaned it, then waited another 24 to clean it again. Came out nice and clean, minus lettering. If the model is cast metal in the color that you want, use the rubbing alcohol method in the previous post. If it’s not, and its colored plastic, use the degreaser.
By the way, welcome[#welcome]
If you’re not stripping the paint, just removing the factory applied lettering, your best bet is Walthers Solvaset and a rubber eraser, like a pencil eraser (or just the eraser at the end of a pencil). Apply the Solvaset and rub the lettering, apply a little more Solvaset and rub some more. Give it time, and in a bit the letter will start to smear and then will start to come off altogether. I re-lettered an old Walthers FM switcher doing that, took all the yellow Wabash lettering/striping off and re-decaled it for the NYC.
try rubbing alchole99% verylightly
Testors ELO (Easy Lift Off) will work for this. Follow the directions on the back for removal of decals; just don’t leave it on too long, or you will take the paint too.