ICH CSX Centerflow

[Smike]

I just received custom made decals from Peteski that were born out of recent TRW thread on some ICH graffiti:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28716.0

I figured I’d share the process on making this come together. (any feedback, tips, comments… bring it)

First the prototype:




 I acquired a MTL 3 bay center flow hopper. Looks like a pretty close match. Its actually more beige than the photo seems to show.



Before I worked on weathering some updates were needed. I body mounted some MTL couplers (I wish I has some full throttle couplers to use Ed’s new coupler boxes, but that will need to wait for another say) 



After that I  chopped off the oversized stirrups and made some customer ones from .0125 wire from Tichy Train Group. It was actually pretty easy with using  a pair of Xuron 475C pillars. The reason being is the width of the pillar head is about 15 or so scale inches. So bending the wire in 2 90 degree bends can just follow the outside of the pillars. Then eye ball it at the end.



Next up will be to do some light fading to darken the color a bit and weathering. Normally I would weather after applying the tags but in the proto photo the tag looks pretty fresh. Then it will be on to paint the background streaks. 

[VonRyan]

I just received custom made decals from Peteski that were born out of recent TRW thread on some ICH graffiti:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28716.0

I figured I’d share the process on making this come together. (any feedback, tips, comments… bring it)

First the prototype:




 I acquired a MTL 3 bay center flow hopper. Looks like a pretty close match. Its actually more beige than the photo seems to show.



Before I worked on weathering some updates were needed. I body mounted some MTL couplers (I wish I has some full throttle couplers to use Ed’s new coupler boxes, but that will need to wait for another say) 



After that I  chopped off the oversized stirrups and made some customer ones from .0125 wire from Tichy Train Group. It was actually pretty easy with using  a pair of Xuron 475C pillars. The reason being is the width of the pillar head is about 15 or so scale inches. So bending the wire in 2 90 degree bends can just follow the outside of the pillars. Then eye ball it at the end.



Next up will be to do some light fading to darken the color a bit and weathering. Normally I would weather after applying the tags but in the proto photo the tag looks pretty fresh. Then it will be on to paint the background streaks.

Only problem I see is how will you go about adding the reporting marks per the proto-photo.

As an aside, the high-end canadian graffiti artists sometimes go as far as to work in the reporting marks, or if they paint over them, they'll repaint them in the position, but in a font related to their artwork yet still legible to railroad employees.

-Cody F.

[Smike]

I have some idea's on that. The reporting marks look masked for this tag, if not they will look like masked. Going to try white lettering behind black over the tag to make it stand out as per the prototype.

[peteski]

Wouldn't it be easier to apply the streaks before the decal?  Just make a rough mask in the outline of the decal (maybe trace the decal onto piece of masking tape) to give you an idea as to roughly where to end the streaks.

Actually, I noticed that some of the car color with the streaks on the original artwork weren't edited out. For example on the bottom, between C-H, A-B and O-D. I'll do that if I have to print another batch (for when the decal will be applied to a different color car).

[Smike]

Streaks will be painted prior to the decal. I'm going to leave the reporting marks for last.

[JSL]

I was looking at my proto photo's and have found a few examples of his work going through Symington Yard here in Winnipeg. Nice project you got going on!

[Smike]

So I broke out the spray booth. First I gave the car a good coat of dullcoat to give the fade something to adhere to. The beige factory color was a bit too light. So I sprayed the car with Pollyscale Sand to deepen the color and give it more of a warm tone (as per the prototype)



The heavy coat brought the car more inline with the prototype but its way overdone on the reporting marks. So to fix this I used a finely sharpened tooth pick that is soaked in water. Carefully tracing over the marks. If you go out of the lines a little it doesn’t show at the base color is really close. Its works good for simple schemes like this, but wouldn’t want to do this on a more complex design. I only did this on the side that will not have the tag.



Next will be to give it s light shot of dust to dirty it up a bit.

[peteski]

Mike, I assume that this is the side of that car which will not be tagged. Otherwise it would actually be beneficial to fade the reporting marks which will be under the decal.  Plus, decals do not stick very well to dullcote finish. 

[Smike]

Yes the side I didn't clean up is the tag side. Once I'm happy with the weathering I will apply a shot of Future to help lay down that tag. I learned that very early on

so it goes something like this:

Dullcoat
Fade and weathering
Light shot of Dullcoat (to seal in the weathering)
Future where the tag will go
apply the tag
Then dullcoat or something else to dull and seal the tag. (I did receive your instructions with the tag and will test before I do anything)

[FEC Railway]

did anyone ever take a stab at duplicating the grey streaks?

[Smike]

I did, but haven't done much since.  I tried gel pens (fine pt) but they were too thick and lacked control. I ended up with making a finely sharpened tooth pick and using oils. I would dip the pt into thinned down paint then start where the decal would be covering and pulled up, so the paint would be less near the top. It's not 100% true to the prototype look, but the illusion is there.

I need to get back to this and finish it up, but fly fishing season taking hold and new job, it might be a while.

[JoeD]

One note...after you get the decal on and it's dry, wipe the surface of the car with a soft rag with clean water to get rid of glue flow from the decal.  If you look at the model under a lamp and move it around you will see gloss spots...those glue stains that will show up when you clearcote the model.   When dry, spray the model with a glosscote.  This will flow around the edges of the decal and smooth things out so you loose the shadow line.  Then give it a dullcote.  Makes all the difference in the world.

Joe

Yes the side I didn't clean up is the tag side. Once I'm happy with the weathering I will apply a shot of Future to help lay down that tag. I learned that very early on

so it goes something like this:

Dullcoat
Fade and weathering
Light shot of Dullcoat (to seal in the weathering)
Future where the tag will go
apply the tag
Then dullcoat or something else to dull and seal the tag. (I did receive your instructions with the tag and will test before I do anything)

[Smike]

Well some 4 months later.... I rehabbed my office top to bottom so no modeling for what seems forever. Anyway this the first project I picked back up. Managed to apply the decal, and weather. I did over paint the yellow and white sections to make them 'pop' a bit more closer to the prototype (Hard to see in the photo) Needs some more to cover in the light area's on the top as you can see the black strips showing a bit under the decal. Now ready for the clean up and dull coat.  Overall the decal sized perfectly for the MT centerflow. The only change I would make if it was reprinted would be to include the vertical striping in the decal as well, and the reporting marks.
Ya I know those are 70 ton trucks, only ones I could find to mount with the metal wheels I had. Also not going to worry about adding in the reporting marks, I may someday if I get board, but good enough for now. Thanks again to David for creating the artwork from the proto photo and peteski for printing it out. A TRW collaborative effort.

[peteski]

That looks great Mike - thanks for the update!
How did you paint the vertical streaks?

If I ever print another batch of that decal, I'll add the reporting numbers and will probably add the streaks too.  DKS did an awesome job cleaning up the artwork.

[Smike]

Thanks Peteski, I painted those streaks by hand... ugh. I used the finest brush I could find and watered down the paint to just right amount so it would 'flow' with some control. I ended up with a bit more streaks than the proto, as the extra steaks added noise to cancel out the streaks that did not come out so great. I mean this is all well and good when viewing this close, from 2 feet, well even 1 foot away all looks super fine and good.