I'm getting ready to restore some of the 650 passenger cars to fit the royal blue engine. Is there any certain way to get the plastic ready for painting, and also is it better to use decals or rubber stamps for the restoration? If theres any problems you ran into restoring these cars I would appricate it if you could please let me know.

Hi Charles,

Congrats on doing a cool project! I always felt that the Royal Blue (pre-war) should have a counterpart in postwar.

The only advise I can give is to make sure that the shell is CLEAN. Wash it carefully with a mild detergent to remove any fingerprints or oils, then rinse with clear water and dry by using compressed air. If you are using a good paint that is compatible with plastic, no other special preparation should be needed. However, sometimes the surface color under the final color may affect the results. So if you used a primer on the metal shell, use the same color on the plastic ones, but make sure that the primer is also compatible with plastic. Apply carefully, and you will be happy with the results.

As far as using decals or rubber stamps, that's entirely up to you. Decals can give very satisfactory results, but stamps are the better way to go. Since you aren't technically doing a restoration, it's your choice. I like to make what I call "phantoms", that is, items Gilbert never made, but should have. In the case of the Royal Blue passenger train, I'd go with the stamps. Doug Peck has them, along with the white ink.

Good luck, and post photos when done, OK?

Just make sure the car bodies are as clean as possible. Wash with dish soap and water to remove any grease and oils, and dry thoroughly. You can then clean them with a clean lint free cloth and rubbing alcohol. TEST the insides first then do the outsides as Gilbert used many different plastics in the day and some may not even like alcohol. Once spotless, gently wipe the car bodies with a tac cloth to remove any dust or lint remaining from cleaning. Use a good quality plastic compatible primer. Go slowly, and use thin coats doing the inside first then the outsides until covered in a good coat. Allow to dry completely before handling. Keep in a dust free environment. When ready t paint, you can give them a very light rub with the tac cloth and use a good quality plastic compatible paint. Again, go very slowly. Do thin coats. Do the insides first, allow to dry, then do the outsides with thin coats until you have a nice coat of paint on the car. Allow to dry completely for at least 24 to 48 hours. Now for the details. Are you going to outline the windows in white? This is not an easy task. You should have a very small hard rubber roller. Roll it over some plastic compatible white paint, and get a very thin coat on the roller. Roll one window frame. Repeat for the remaining frames. Allow to dry for 24 to 48 hours. Lettering, decals are horrible as they have that film that always shows no matter hoe carefully you trim them. Stamps are far too expensive for one or two uses. There is a shop A&J Hobbies I think it is that sells high quality dry transfers. This is the way to go. Carefully position, and rub. To replace window material, measure the length you need and how high it needs to be to cover the window openings. Go to Office Depot or Staples and buy report covers. These have a heavy clear acetate cover on the front, and a cardstock back. Your after the acetate. Use a cutting board to slice the pieces you need for the windows. Use a light daub of household cement along the window openings on the inside of the car and attach the new window material. Now your all set to re-install the frames.

PRRDave

Thank you both, you've been very helpful. I'm going to jump into it with both feet and give it a shot. It won't be tell later this fall when I can post pictures, school getting ready to start and I'll have to do a little at a time. Thanks again for all the help you've given me.

Charles,

On a somewhat related note, there was a nice article in the October 2008 CTT, "Making a special S gauge Royal Blue". The author modified a Silver Bullet and 650 type passenger cars to make a Royal Blue replica that's a little more accurate then AF. If you haven't seen it you might find it interesting.

PHM