Large Scale Central

Making a sow's ear out of a sow's ear - Kalamazoo tank car

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

Just your average repaint. I picked up this Kalamazoo Conoco tanker really cheap a while back. No trucks, one broken step but worth about what I paid for it…

I had a spare pair of Kalamazoo trucks, and used metal wheels. So it was OK, except that Continental Oil was in Utah… I had paint, and a couple sets of Woodland Scenic dry transfer alphabets that Ralph was in a hurry to get rid of last summer, so…

It didn’t take long to figure out why he fobbed them off on me. Even after cutting out the letters and putting them on scotch tape, and using guide lines they STILL came out drunk, and some only partially transferred.

I changed out the brake wheel for a Delton one because the original one was cracked, and I need a vent for the side of the dome yet. (plus 3 or 4 more cars just like it) But I think it will work well enough for 5 or 10 foot model…

#2
Mik said:
Even after cutting out the letters and putting them on scotch tape, and using guide lines they STILL came out drunk, and some only partially transferred.
I have consistently better results with waterslide decals as opposed to dry transfer or self adhesive. A number of model rocket kits come with self adhesive decals - I don't like the you get one chance at getting it located correctly, thing. Waterslide decals can have their own trials and tribulations but by and large I understand their quirks.

Oh, and your car looks :slight_smile:

#3

It’s a good thing I WANTED to do a grubby car with partially obscured lettering or I’d really be a crab. - as is, it worked. More or less. It wouldn’t have been so bad if there wasn’t a handrail there for everybody to use as a visual straightedge. (bent handrails coming soon!)

And I would usually just call Stan, but I only have $3 left in the bank. It ain’t Ralph’s fault. he warned me that he didn’t like them

#4
Mik said:
It didn't take long to figure out why he fobbed them off on me.
At least you got them for free. I had to pay for them ;) Ralph
#5

Shoot I think it looks great, I didn’t even notice they weren’t straight.

#6
Ralph Berg said:
Mik said:
It didn't take long to figure out why he fobbed them off on me.
At least you got them for free. I had to pay for them ;) Ralph
I think all things considered, I got them for about what they are worth! :P

They just made me appreciate Stanman a little more, lol.

I think I’m just going to borrow the vent off one of my 4 wheel tank cars for now, and stick a capped bit of tubing out the side between the frame and truss rods for the valve

#7

Try putting the dry transfers in the micowave for a few seconds before using them…sometimes that rejuvinates them…

#8

Looks fine to me!

#9

Mik I think it looks great. Sometimes I find “screw -ups” just add to the model. Thats why I never stress over mine and trust me have a lot.