Removal Of Factory Printing On Big Thunder Mountain Locomotive/Train Project (LGB Casey)

[Imagination Station Kids]

Hello,
Imagination Station is modifying and rebuilding an LGB Casey (Lake George and Boulder) into a Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain Railroad locomotive with its train.
Mostly completed now as in the photos, the only problem we are encountering is the Lake George and Boulder printing on the side of the cab and front of the locomotive. This Printing needs to be removed without chance of damage to the paint so that the correct graphics can be added to the cab. On the front of the boiler, the printing simply needs to be removed without a trace.
There are so many suggestions out there online that it's extremely confusing as to what will work on such large letters without damaging the paint.
Here's photos of the project and cab.
I would just like to know a fool proof way to accomplish this goal correctly without fear of damage to the paint.
Anyone extremely experienced at doing this?
Any advice appreciated!
Thank you!

Ken
Imagination Station Kids On Track Model Railroad And Train Safety Program

 

[JimmyB]

The problem will always be if you are removing one layer (the graphic) from another layer (the base coat), if they are of similar materials then with the removal or the top layer some of the lower layer will be removed. There as alway a number of ways to do this (at your own risk), the two main ways is mechanical or chemically. A fibre grass brush as used in electronics or to burnish white metal used lightly can work. Chemically then a mild solvent, wiped on and off, methylated spirits, or even lighter fluid can work, but should not be left on to long, wipe on - wipe off. Whatever you choose to remove your graphic, the base layer will be affected, but done gently enough then the effect can be minimised.

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

Jim,
Thanks!
I guess I'm a little nervous and repainting that area again if it gets messed up would be hard because of color match.
Thanks for your reply, it really does help.
Ken

 

[PhilP]

I don't think the smoke box door ending up different, would be too much of a problem?
Regarding the name on the loco:
I would suggest a new nameplates, over the top.

Just coming at the problem from a different angle.

PhilP.

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

PhiP,
I actually agree but I would need someone who could make 2 green vinyl strips per side (with exception of the area where the name would cover) to cover both sections where the lettering on the cab is and it would have to be reasonably close to the color of the cab.
My problem is I don't know who to go to for that and how to match colors. This was actually my original plan but I would need vinyl that is durable as well. As for the boiler door, I'm a little lost on how to do that but it is black which is an easy color to repaint if it gets messed up.
Thanks and that us a better way to go, if I can find someone who could make that.
Appreciate the help!
Ken

 

[PhilP]

As JimmyB says:
The problem is just getting the lettering off..
Anything abrasive, will either scratch (dull) the finish, or if it is really fine, polish it.

I find it impossible to 'touch-up', so either take it right off, and repaint that section, or cover it with something else. - If you 'just paint over it' there is always a ghost / shadow, of the former lettering.

Good luck!
PhilP.

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

Yea, I've dealt with those ghost shadows before and that's a bear too. You don't know anyone who can do one color vinyl that could match the cab?
Ken

 

[PhilP]

Yea, I've dealt with those ghost shadows before and that's a bear too. You don't know anyone who can do one color vinyl that could match the cab?
Ken

Being in the UK, can't help so much with US suppliers..

The name that immediately comes to mind: G Scale Graphics
But I am not sure if they do that sort of thing, these days?

Forgive if I have this one wrong:
Circus City Decals (might be graphics) but they do a huge range of decals, in many scales..

HTH?

PhilP.

 

[Gizzy]

I removed the large red numbers and RhB logo from the yellow LGB wagon in the photo, with an old LGB Track rubber, followed by T-Cut. The yellow though, is the colour of the plastic (Luran) and is not paint.



So, are you sure the loco cab is painted green?

Just my 10 cents....

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

PhilP,
Yea, I'll check with those suppliers you mentioned, see if they can do anything.
Appreciate the help.
Ken

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

Dizzy,
I really actually don't know if thus cab is painted or molded in color. Knowing LGB quality though, I'm only guessing that it's molded in color? Never thought about that before.
Interesting idea though.
Thanks!
Ken

 

[Diesel2000]

Dizzy,
I really actually don't know if thus cab is painted or molded in color. Knowing LGB quality though, I'm only guessing that it's molded in color? Never thought about that before.
Interesting idea though.
Thanks!
Ken

I've kitbashed several 2077D Daisey porters. They are Korean made (lower quality plastic and motor). They are painted. The paint ranged in easy to extremely F***ing hard to remove in a 90% isopropyl alcohol bath. Scrubbing with a brush was required. I completely stripped them, primed, and painted. Its a fun project though perhaps outside the scope of what you are after. For my first one I repainted using regular 2x Painters touch and it came out surprisingly well. Doing 1 or 2 colors shouldnt take that long tbh.

I then applied G Scale Graphics custom vinyl lettering for the engine and road name. Getting a coverup to match existing color will be difficult as discussed.

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

I spoke to G Scale Graphics today and he said he has matching vinyl that would cover it, so that is a better idea than trying to remove them, especially with lack of experience in it.
I guess we'll give that a shot first and see how it turns out.
Appreciate the input.

Ken

 

[pugwash]

If you still want to remove the lettering for some reason then try 'decal softener' which is available from model paint suppliers. It is usually used to apply decals but also serves for lifting them.

 

[JimmyB]

If you still want to remove the lettering for some reason then try 'decal softener' which is available from model paint suppliers. It is usually used to apply decals but also serves for lifting them.

That is fine if the graphic is a decal, however a lot are printed directly to the surface, with no carrier film.

 

[pugwash]

That is fine if the graphic is a decal, however a lot are printed directly to the surface, with no carrier film.

Indeed but I looked at the original photo at the top of the thread and it doesn't look like screen printing. Still the decal softener idea may work for others, there is also 'decal fix' which is pretty self explanatory but again may serve in future.

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

I might not have a choice to try that on the smokebox door unless LGB makes a completely black replacement front door?

 

[pugwash]

I might not have a choice to try that on the smokebox door unless LGB makes a completely black replacement front door?

If it were me I would try a repaint first and see how it looks, you can always try other methods if you are not happy with the result.

 

[Imagination Station Kids]

Yea,
Might try that on the smokebox door on the front, if I can figure out how to get it off.

 

[dunnyrail]

If it were me I would try a repaint first and see how it looks, you can always try other methods if you are not happy with the result.

LGB lettering is notorious for lettering and lining showing up after a repaint. If a repaint is planned then removing lettering and lining with a Fibreglass Brush Pen works very well, it can remove other paint and can leave the work matt but still no problems if repainting. I used this on my Playmobil Loco that had extremely reluctant to be removed lettering and symbols. You can see below the effect of a spray paint with red primer used before finish spray.