I have read about using 91% isopropol alcohol to strip paint from a locomotive shell and finally decided to try it for myself. I had an old P2K E8 body shell that had been repainted (by brush I think) and it looked like a good candidate for this. I put the alcohol in a plastic bottle bottom (I cut about 4" from a water bottle) and set the loco shell down into it. I left it for about 4 hours and I could see it was working quite well so I left it overnight. The next morning everything came off and left an almost perfect undecorated shell. I had a few places that I had to clean with a sharp blade but the paint came right off. 99% of it came off with a stiff brush under running water. I am very pleased with this process. I have since striipped the entire body and can now repaint it with my airbrush. The attached photo is the first step I tried. Just wanted to share this with a photo of what really happens.
Oh, those little red spots on the shell are the remains of lift rings and other railings that were broken off before stripping. They just pushed out with a knife point leaving a clean hole for the replacements.
-Bob
Looks like one of my old E7’s. Glad somebody has a use for it.
I believe it is one we swapped last year for parts. The drive is missing parts (the ones I needed for my damaged E8) but someday I may find the some that will work. Just though it made a good ‘test’ for me to try stripping with the alcohol.
-Bob
Bob,
Good going!
I have a fleet of the older run P2K E-units. Two will be repainted in SCL “Bumble Bee” and one in SCL’s "Split Scheme. They will have DCC/Sound (LokSound V4 and QSI Titan).
I appreciate how easy it is to paint strip the older run P2K locomotive shells with 91% alcohol. I also remove those annoyingly flimsy lift rings as they break easily. Before the new paint job, I install metal replacements.
What road name are you repainting this unit to?
AntonioFP45,
Sorry I didn’t get back to this post until today, thought it was over? I will most likely repaint/finish for the New York Central without the lightning stripes, just the cigar band with a solid stripe down each side. I have already stripped the engine shell and primed it gray. I also made new handrails from .015" bronze wire to replace missing ones.
-Bob