ESM historical data - analog artwork for printing plates

[bbussey]

While searching the archives for the old 3500pd Flexi Flo artwork so I can draw my own car-number-specific decals that I have prototype photos of for the upcoming Rapido model, I came across these archival artwork artifacts from the early years of ESM, late 1980s and early 1990s.  Back then, the artwork was drawn manually at 3x of N scale and pasted up on the template (or printed on acetate and taped to the template), then photographed/exposed and developed on clear acetate film at a 1/3 reduction, mirrored so that the film would be placed on the printing plate emulsion-side down to eliminate fuzzy edges.  Micro-Trains had 3x templates for all of their existing models, but for the models of other manufacturers (such as the long-discontinued AHM Flexi Flo), I had to create the 3x template as well.  I couldn't find the 3x Flexi-Flo artwork (which I mainly wanted for the numbers in the reporting marks), but I found enough of the 2x test prints to scan and redraw all ten digits.  I found an accurate vector drawing of the jade green Flexi Flo and I have all the remaining fonts and heralds in digital form.



I also uncovered the acetates and the printing plates for our Southern 10,000th Ortner scheme that we custom painted on what was then the Red Caboose model.



And finally, I found the first set of CMYK acetates for the Lever Brothers' Wisk Laundry Detergent mural scheme on the Micro-Trains 40' Fruehauf trailer, the first N scale model printed in such a fashion.  We discovered that it was too dark no matter how much we lightened the artwork, so we eliminated the black plate and regenerated the plates with just CMY.  The three colors together created a "black" that didn't overwhelm the artwork.  Micro-Trains wanted to learn how to print four-color processing on their models, but had a no-prototypical-custom-runs policy in place at the time.  The fact that Lever Brothers was taking 25% of the run for giveaways to their employees was the loophole that allowed the project to move forward.  MTL started utilizing the process for their BN "Cityscape" trailers and containers.

[ljudice]

I remember my excitement when your 3500pd's showed up at The Model Railroad Shop in the days before the pre-release information deluge of today....

[u18b]

The Wisk trailer was epic.

 

[peteski]

Cool blast from the past Bryan! Thanks for the trip down the memory lane.

I used to have photo-masks for etching PC boards done similar way.  Originally I printed  them on my HP 500C ink jet home printer on paper (at 300dpi), then have them photographed at 25% onto clear film (to get smoother artwork), then use the film as photo-masks for the etching process.

[Chris333]

CMYK  you know I worked with CMYK for like 20 years before I found out that the K means "key". Everyone at work told me it was for black and if they used a B it might get confused with Cyan (blue).

[peteski]

CMYK  you know I worked with CMYK for like 20 years before I found out that the K means "key". Everyone at work told me it was for black and if they used a B it might get confused with Cyan (blue).

Key or not key, K is black. Here is an explanation from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMYK_color_model
In traditional preparation of color separations, a red keyline on the black line art marked the outline of solid or tint color areas. In some cases a black keyline was used when it served as both a color indicator and an outline to be printed in black because usually the black plate contained the keyline. The K in CMYK represents the keyline or black plate, also sometimes called the key plate.

There is also lots of other interesting info on that page if you want to know more details.

The black made up from CYM inks is not a true black but a dark muddy brown color (close to black).  My original HP DeskJet 500C printer in color mode did CYM printing (it would only hold one cartridge, either black or CYM color). Later they made a DeskJet 550C which was capable of holding both cartridges and printing using them both (like modern CYMK ink ink jets and lasers work).

[Chris333]

Some places use dark blue or brown as the Key color.

https://www.caseyprinting.com/blog/2014/print/word-of-the-week-key

[bbussey]

It took a few tries to get the proper LPI for pad printing from the etched plate to a plastic body.  The original LPI we chose which would work for glossy magazine pages was a smudged mess on the plastic, most likely due to spreading of the pad when it hit the plate and then the plastic.  We ended up going with a more coarse LPI which gave the appearance of a finer print on the plastic.  It took a few attempts over a couple of months to get it right.  I had all the MTL test print trailer bodies but they were accidentally disposed of about 20 years ago.

The Wisk trailer was the first N scale pad-printed color-processing-decorated model ever, and the second in model railroading outright.  Someone released an HO mural model a few months before we did.  I don't remember what it was at this point, it's been 30 years.

[peteski]

Some places use dark blue or brown as the Key color.

Yes, when black ink is not needed for that print, then the darkest ink is used as K. Makes sense.

[JMaurer1]

When I first ran across John (RIP) at Aztec, I could watch the pad printing for hours and I was already working in the printing (printer) industry. Just something about pad printing (and silk screening) and seeing something come from nothing is interesting...

[Sokramiketes]

Good stuff.  At Des Plaines Hobbies, Ron had me update various items to AutoCAD and I was always fascinated by the original hand drawn artwork for photo etchings.  Like hand drawn O scale passenger car sides.