Part 8 - New Haven DEY-3 (Alco S-1) #0967: Painting

I don't know about you, but painting - specifically airbrushing - is something I've always feared. In fact, I put it off for well over 30 years(!) Click here for THAT crazy story (it's a fun read, if I don't say so myself). Thanks to my friend Ralph, I've since become a convert of Badger's Patriot 105 airbrush. Now I almost look forward to painting. Almost all of the time. Especially since painting and lettering make all the difference in converting a nondescript/undec model into Your Very Own.

So here - if only to document it myself for future reference, and perhaps to give some of you the extra push you need to try - is the process I'm currently using, step-by-step:

First, I remove the truck sideframes. On the P2k model - as with most - the gearbox cover retains the sideframes, so remove the covers first.

Here's my prep setup: ultrasonic cleaner for the small parts, basin of soapy water (Dawn preferred), toothbrush & tray for larger parts, gloves for handling cleaned parts, towel for quick cleanup of spills.

Ralph encouraged me to get an ultrasonic cleaner (I got mine at the local Wal-Mart), and now I don't know how I did without it. Add a few teaspoons of Dawn to the water and run it for 3 cycles. Cleans all those little bits thoroughly and safely (though keep a VERY close watch on those tiny uncoupling levers!)

Cleaning the larger parts is more straight-forward - just use the toothbrush (gently!) and your sudsy water - and be sure to plug the sink when rinsing(!). Here's everything all cleaned and ready to go (once thoroughly dry)

I use a variety of homemade stands, reversed clothespins, tape and cardboard to secure items for painting.

And since my friend Randy gave me a version of the cab interior that had the gauges preprinted (apparently you get the gauges with a decorated model - the undec just comes plain), I masked those off so they wouldn't get painted over.

And now we're ready to actually paint!

For my DEY-5, I used Tru-Color Pullman Green. You can see in the photo above how it (top) differs from the Atlas S-2 that was custom done for the NHRHTA (bottom). And - to my colorblind eyes - the NHRHTA version looks closer to the color prototype photos I've seen. Or maybe the DEY-5 just looks faded... In any event, I decided to use Badger Pullman Green for the 0967.

I started by priming everything with Badger's Stynylrez primers - which I love. They go on VERY easy, right out of the bottle with no thinning required. I used black on the frame and railings, and gray on everything else. BONUS! The black Stynylrez primer can also act as the "top coat" color.

Next, I shot the green parts with the Badger paint thinned with just a few drops of water, building up the color slowly.

While I was waiting for all of that to dry, I remembered I needed to paint the sides of the wheels, so I took advantage of the fact that the mech was disassembled already to solder the truck pickup wires to the sideframe contacts. I know Colorado Bill will be proud I'm no longer relying on those little plastic retainers to keep the wires electrically connected to the sideframe contacts and wheels(!)

Now that the 0967 is painted (and you'd be hard pressed to find an easier paint scheme :^), the next step is decals! Then it'll REALLY start to look like a New Haven locomotive. . .

Till next time!