removing (pad printed?) lettering from a Microtrains tank car

[mark dance]

Hi all...I have a black microtrains tank car [image (c) Trovestar]...



that I wish to turn into this...



Ideally I would selectively remove road name and road number.  What method(s) will work?  So far 99% alcohol and a microbrush aren't cutting it...

many thx

md

[Bill H]

Hi Mark:
I have read on RW that MT uses Coleman liquid camping fuel internally to remove printing. I think it was an MT employee who stated that one. Hope it helps.

Here is the link, the info was from Joe at MT.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=29743.msg321853#msg321853

Kind regards,
Bill

[nkalanaga]

And, Coleman fuel is Naphtha, so if you have any of that around, it should work just as well.

[Angus Shops]

Hi Mark,

If the amount of ‘erasing’ isn’t too much , and if there might be a little weathering to hide any excess, I use a sharp No. 11 blade to scratch of the unwanted lettering. I can usually scrape the lettering off carefully and leave the underlying base car colour more or less intact. Go carefully and slowly; should be no problem.
Geoff

[Santa Fe Guy]

Try applying Walthers Solvaset with a cotton bud and rub until the print goes.
I have used this on Locos to remove road numbers numbers and it worked.
Rod.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Do you have an air eraser? @Lemosteam swears by them for FUD cleanup, but this might be a good job for one too. They're relatively cheap too.

[EmdFan]

I've had good luck using Solvaset, keep applying it with a brush in a stippling manner, after about 5 minutes it should start to loosen up. Any remaining bits can be scraped off or you can use tape to try to get them off.

That's interesting about the Coleman/Naptha fluid, may have to give that a try.

[mark dance]

Thank you gentlemen. I'll let you know how it goes!

Md

[nkalanaga]

Geoff:  Especially on a black car, that will probably be heavily weathered, that would be my solution as well.  Any flaws can be covered with a dab of black paint, and the weathering will cover that.

For that matter, with the prototype's dirt, one could just paint over the lettering.

[peteski]

Since the tank is being re-purposed as a stationary tank, why just not give a quick airbrushing with black paint. If some lettering is to remain, mask those areas before spraying.  Or do the opposite: mask around the lettering to be removed, then spray black paint to patch them out. I suspect the 1:1 car might have been painted that way too.

[nkalanaga]

For painting out the unwanted lettering, which is what I'd do, I'd use a brush, even if I had an airbrush.  Why get the airbrush dirty for such a small job?