Hello-- I just bought some new N-scale Intermountain Alaska F7 units. The blue/yellow colors are too light. Is there a way to darken the loco's colors and preserve its "pristine" appearance? I am not interested in weathering it, just darkening the colors. Thanks, Steve Williams
Throw a black vale over it, turn out the lights and run everyone by at 100 miles away. They won't even notice. I said with loads of sarcasm. All kidding aside, other then stripping the model down and repainting it, I don't know of much else you can do to darken it. You mentioned not weathering so, that leave's out most options.
Once the color has been applied it's too late.......repainting is really your only option......however..... You 'could' try one thing.........give the model a very light coat with Tamiya smoke (thinned down to reduce the tint). It's a clear/transparent color. I use it for tinting clear canopies on aircraft models. I'd experiment first on some test swatches of paint to see what ratio of thinner you'd need. Use an airbrush for best effect....don't try to brush it on. good luck... -G-
Pretty much your done. You can usually lighten, but not darken. Weathering is really the only thing here, short of stripping and starting over. Don't worry, in the current state, they are correct. I have pictures of newly painted BNSH GE locomotives that are so faded they look pink. Happens in real life and rarely do the prototypes match as closely as we modelers think.
Hey Steve, When compared to other products on the market (ie. MT, Atlas, WoT) you are correct the IM blue is lighter. But I'm not sure if all the other manufacturers have it right and IM has it wrong. Submitted for your consideration, IM Blue: Real ARR blue: Difference between IM blue (on the left) and Atlas blue: **ok so the car on the right isn't factory painted but the color does match exactally with Atlas paint** You be the judge as to which one is more prototypical. If all you want to do is match what other manufacturers are producing then you are correct the IM blue is too light. I've got a bunch of custom painted stuff in my collection so the difference doesn't stand out as much for me personally. Shy of stripping the new locomotives down and custom painting (and I get sick to my stomach just thinking about doing that to such a beautiful model) I don't know of any way to darken the paint. Brian
I think that rotary is pretty faded. That said, it's more than enough justification for the Intermountain paint. Or is it? That is, most of the F-unit fleet didn't last too long after the change to this scheme, so I doubt they got a chance to fade that badly.
From what I can tell the ARR ran F-7 units from the early 50s till the mid 80s. While these units were painted in the black and yellow scheme for some of that time the blue and yellow scheme surely had to see some weather and the effets thereof. Heres another pic I ran across showing a lighter blue due to weathering Still mighty purty even with oxidation!!! Brian
