removing decals

[union pacific 844]

how do i remove decals  on bachmann 4-8-4s and how do you add new one?

[NuthinDragginOwt]

Are they actaul waterslide decals or printed on lettering?

[union pacific 844]

not sure it a bachmann ho scale UP 4-8-4  and it all factory

[CJCrescent]

Are you wanting to just change the cab number or the whole lettering?

[NuthinDragginOwt]

Manufacturers do not use decals, the lettering is printed on. There are a couple ways to do it, and require patience.
-For small lettering, I remove numbers on Bachmann's newer models with an Exacto knife with a sharp #10 blade. This is a curved blade, using a straight blade will cause damage. Take the knife, place it on top of the lettering, 90 degrees to it, and very gently scrape the blade over the lettering, apllying little to no pressure. Pressure while doing this will gouge your work. Bachmanns lettering, at least on newer models chips off fairly easily using the process.
-91% isopropyl alcohol works to remove lettering one some manufacturer's models, HOWEVER it also removes paint all together on others. The alcohol must be 91% and no less. First, take a tiny paint brush, or a microbrush, and and put a small amount of alcohol on it, and put the alcohol on the model somewhere that is painted, but not visible when running when running your trains, and apply at the same spot for roughly 20 minutes, to see ig the alcohol will or will not eat the paint. If the paint starts something off within about 10 minutes, I do not recommend this process for removing lettering.
-Simple solution, find a model paint with a matching color, and paint over the old lettering, carefully, then apply a new number once the paint completely dries. You want to use as little paint as possible, so if it is not an exact match, a new decal will cover that problem.

I am sure others will have other ideas on here, but they are what I would normally do, and I have used these methods with great results. They key is patience, rushing through these processes will be regrets later. Just other words of note if you are not familiar with this product, Testor's makes a paint and decal remover, but it is just that, it will not remove one or they other, it will remove both.
Ryan

[sd24b]

how do i remove decals  on bachmann 4-8-4s and how do you add new one?

on the newer pad printed stuff I use a bright boy.  sometimes, denatured alcohol will work.  If using a bright boy make sure you spray the area with glosscote to get a smooth glossy finish before applying decals

[Doneldon]

844-

It's likely that you will have a textural blemish after removing either decals or painted lettering/numbering. That's not a problem, however, because your new lettering will conceal it if put in the same place. However, you do need to put a decal-friendly coat over the blemish in order for the relettering to look right. That means a glossy surface, like a sprayed on clear coat or even Future floor polish. The decals will stick best to such a surface and not have so many irregularities that you end up with bubbles and such like. Apply your decals or dry transfers after your gloss finish is fully dry (overnight will guarantee it or you can wait until two hours after you can't smell the applied gloss product). Then a final spritz of Dull Coat or similar and you'll have a professional job.

                                                                                                                                                                                   -- D

[union pacific 844]

im just renumbering because i have 3 engine with the same cab number 

[Doneldon]

im just renumbering because i have 3 engine with the same cab number  

844-

I understand. You need to change two. When you do, exchange the entire number, not just one digit. It could be very tough to
get an exact color match between painted numbers and a decal, not to mention font and size. Do all digits unless you will be
weathering heavily which will cover discrepancies between the individual digits.

                                                                                                                       -- D

[NuthinDragginOwt]

A agree with Doneldon, you will see a difference if you only remove one number. I also recommend using a gloss coat over the area, to adhere decals, and also to cover us the glossy finish that may occur depending on how you remove the lettering, the decal film will also look glossy after being applied. After the decals fully dry, you can either add another light gloss coat, then add a dull coat, or just do a dull coat over the dried decals. the second gloss coat however, will make sure everything looks consistent when you're done.

[Tom M.]

Here is how I renumber my steam locos (all are black in my case).  I purchased a sheet of black decal paper from MicroScale.  I trim a piece of the sheet just big enough to cover the existing road number.  Afther the black sheet is applied and dried, I apply the new road number decals over the black.   Once dry, I seal the new decals with either an application of gloss or dull coat.

I used to the various other methods described here.  I found it both laborous and time consuming.  Whats worse, the results were somewhat dubious depending on how thick the number printing was sometimes resulting in the need to repaint the entire cab side. 

Good luck,

Tom

[NuthinDragginOwt]

Tom,
Forgot about that, good idea! I have used trim film from Microscale as well so similar projects, and it workds very well.
Ryan