NKP Micro-Trains Mail-Baggage car from NKPHTS

[Sokramiketes]

Yes, Rivarossi coach and pieces from another car cut in. Old school Greg Scott and Joe Valerio style!  Not perfect but a neat signature car to make the train.

If I remember correctly, it was Scalecoat aluminum? Blue was Pollyscale CSX blue. Was trying to match the Centralia colors. 

[thomasjmdavis]

Well done Mike. Signature cars do make the train.  I generally see my own kitbashes a success when they end up with the right number of doors and windows and the wheels roll.

 I was thinking about starting a new Rivarossi bash project, but then got sticker shock seeing what people expect to get for them on eBay, nowadays.  Parts from MTL are more economical.

[nickelplate759]

Yes, Rivarossi coach and pieces from another car cut in. Old school Greg Scott and Joe Valerio style!  Not perfect but a neat signature car to make the train.

If I remember correctly, it was Scalecoat aluminum? Blue was Pollyscale CSX blue. Was trying to match the Centralia colors.

So that's aluminum (metallic) paint.  In the photo it doesn't look metallic at all - but neither does the Centralia 18-room sleeper next to it, and I know that's silver all day long.   I know that NKP used metallic paint some cars (and the first PAs), but they switched to non-metallic after a while.    Tru Color aluminum (also metallic) might be close.  I looked at Tru-Color imitation aluminum, but it's a good deal darker.

[Sokramiketes]

So that's aluminum (metallic) paint.  In the photo it doesn't look metallic at all - but neither does the Centralia 18-room sleeper next to it, and I know that's silver all day long.   I know that NKP used metallic paint some cars (and the first PAs), but they switched to non-metallic after a while.    Tru Color aluminum (also metallic) might be close.  I looked at Tru-Color imitation aluminum, but it's a good deal darker.

Correct.  I didn't want something with an obvious metal flake in it. 

This is sorta like the aluminum oxide debate years ago for CB&Q freight F units.  Athearn (IIRC) went to the Q shops, and took a color sample dip out of the paint barrel.  It was silver.  So they painted the HO F units silver.

Turns out that when sprayed through an air gun, the paint oxidized and hit the surface white.  The color of oxidized aluminum.  So the prototype units always looked white.  Yet the paint was "aluminum".

I don't remember talking about these NKP colors with Ron at DPH when the Centralia cars were done, but he was such a paint chip nut that I'm sure he had order sheet references and paint chips to go by.  Now, the manufacturer could also mess it up from there... cest la vie. 

[peteski]

Correct.  I didn't want something with an obvious metal flake in it. 

This is sorta like the aluminum oxide debate years ago for CB&Q freight F units.  Athearn (IIRC) went to the Q shops, and took a color sample dip out of the paint barrel.  It was silver.  So they painted the HO F units silver.

Turns out that when sprayed through an air gun, the paint oxidized and hit the surface white.  The color of oxidized aluminum.  So the prototype units always looked white.  Yet the paint was "aluminum".

That is interesting. Until now I have never heard about metallic particles in any paint oxidizing during application.  That just doesn't seem realistic. The metallic particles are suspended in the paint's binder (the clear resin that is the the body of the paint).  The metallic particles are mixed with the binder, so they should be protected from any oxygen from the air oxidizing them.  Besides, even if you leave some fine metallic powder out in open air, it does not change color or sheen in a second or two.

If the paint changed color, I would say that more likely was the alignment of the particles when the solvent evaporated and the paint dried changed the reflective and appearance of the dry paint vs. liquid paint.

Maybe the color shift is like what happens to Alclad II chrome paint (it looks dull silver as liquid, but becomes chrome-like shiny silver when dry), except in reverse.  Maybe this paint lookesmetallic when in a liquid state, but dull light gray/white when dry.    I have no specific info but the "oxidizes while being sprayed" seems far fetched.

[nickelplate759]

Remember also that this was in the late 1940s early 1950s - I suspect paint has changed a bit in the past 70 years.

[peteski]

Remember also that this was in the late 1940s early 1950s - I suspect paint has changed a bit in the past 70 years.

True, but basic composition of paints is not all that different. Besides I'm just questioning the "oxidized while being sprayed" part.  It would be more believable if it was stated that the metallic paint changed color (oxidized) within few days of application (not while being sprayed).

Actually enamel paints cure by the oxidation process (that is why they take such a long time to cure).  First, the solvent in enamel paints evaporates leaving the paint dry, but still soft. Then a much longer chemical process of oxidation hardens the paint. It is a chemical change rather than simple solvent evaporation.  And often that process also results in a color shift.

[Sokramiketes]

Regardless of the science, there was something different about paint barrel and locomotive.  And that was the reason for the story. 

[thomasjmdavis]

No.

I hope that sometime in the next year we can develop custom decal sets in multiple scales for all the NKP headend cars.  But right now, we just have enough for the cars.  We hope to get 10 more of the cars in the next few weeks.  If you missed out on the first round, you might get a second chance.  But after that, we're out of cars and out of decals.  For now.

John C.

Glad to see this is a likely sellout.  I really like it as a marketing idea for the historical society.  Now....if I could only get 7 or 8 other historical societies (that will remain nameless) to pick up on the idea....