I am going to repaint some old P2k locomotives and change the numbers. I plan to use decals for the side of the cab but how do you change the number boards? I could always just use the same numbers but these are going to be used switching a steel mill and having a 4 digit number isn’t going to look right.
On my older Protos I pushed the number board out towards the inside. They were painted on the back and the paint came off easily using 400 grit sandpaper. I made the new numbers using Word Highlight (Black) #4 font and glued the new number on the back then pushed them back in place.
EDIT:
This is an AC-9 kitbash only done from the front.
Mel
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I’ll have to try that Mel. Tiny little individual water slide decal numbers don’t work very well with my fingers [(-D] And then I can easily make a mess of the whole number, trying to get one number in correct alighnment.
Don’t use your fingers - tweezers and/or an X-Acto knife with a #11 blade will give you better results.
Wayne
Thanks Wayne, I have been using a tiny paint brush with decent results. I do use the blade, too. Good tip.
I also use it to catch decals that have come of the backing, in the water.
If I can find a way to do it has one number, and not 4, I’ll try it.
Mike.
I didn’t mention the font on my AC-9 is Railroad Roman.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
If the decals are floating off the paper, they’re in the water too long.
Let them soak through the paper, then set them someplace safe out of the water until the decal releases from the paper.
Eric
I definitely have to try Mel’s way. Individual numbers - all the magnifiers in thee world won’t help me work with a decal that tiny. I have some Accurail renumber sheets because I need a LOT of open hoppers, but the end numbers on those are one piece decals AND they very thoughfully used a balck background. That’s probably about as small as I can deal with these days. Mel’s way may allow me to add a few more Geeps to my roser, and maybe is a way to get number boards on the whole pile of Atlas RS-3’s I need to paint. It may be easier for me to drill out the number board location and fit a lens inside than try to place 3 individual numbers neatly in there. Plus then I can make them light up.
–Randy
Randy
I made the number boards for my AC-9s and Cab Forwards from scrap clear Acrylic with an LED glued to the back. It actually works out very nice.
I wired them through a DB107 bridge direct to the rails so that they come on with rail power. I use Function 3 to turn on and off the marker lights. Early on I used 1½ volt 1mm micro bulbs for the markers using a LM1117 regulator. I went with 1mm Acrylic rod and a 1.6mm LED on last few markers. I stuff the rod in the Cal Scale brass markers and melt the Acrylic with my soldering iron to flow into the lenses, glass stain work great to color the lenses.
Mel
[(-D] I get that Eric, thanks! Been there done that. Things happen ya know, some sit longer than they should. [Y]
Mike.
Thanks for the tips. I was thinking about just painting over the outside numbers and using the center two. This gives me some better options.
Rick