Railmodel Journal Staff Publisber' : Larry Bell Editor: Robert Schleicher Regular Contributors: Louis A. Marre, Diesels Jim Eager, Today's Modeling Todd Sullivan, (c. 1960-1969) Modeling John Nehrich, (c. 1945-1959) Modeling Richard Hendrickson, (c. 1940-1949) Modeling Tom Hood, Canadian Modeling Robert Higgins, Model Locomotives Doug Gurin (Layout Design SIG), Layout AllTechniques: Scales: Design 4 Masking Methods fo r Two-Color Paint Schemes Rick Brendel, Electronics 26 Your Top Tips, readers' "better ideas" for modeling Art Director: Rick Hennigar Plans: Grapbic Design: Stuart Leuthner 13 Appalachian Coal Mine Circulation Director: Sherri Patterson Phone: (303) 296-1600 Operations: Fax: (303) 295-2159 27 Switching the Interchange Time Capsule: 2403 Contributions: Mail to Champa St., Denver, 31 June 14, 1952 , near the Western Maryland's Shomo 80205. CO All material must be accompanied by Yard return postage. We assume no liability or respon­ sibility for loss or damage to material. Any mater­ Scenic Modeling: On the Cover: The West ial accepted is subject to such revision as is 40 Trees-in-a-Box, in just fo ur steps Virginia Southern Railroad necessary in our sole discretion to meet the re­ recreates Class One quirements of the publication. Payment will be railroading on the Penn 45 ,HO Scale: made within days of publication, unless pre­ Locomotive Performance: Central and Western vious arrangements have been made in writing, at 12 Summary of All Previous Test Reports Maryland with a roster of our current rates which cover the author's and/or 60 58 IHC/Mehano Southern Pacific 2-6-0 Test Report locomotives and over contributor's right, title and interest in and to the 600 freight cars. Your personal material mailed, including but not limited to Diesels, One-Detail-At-A-Time: photographs, drawings, charts and designs, which 18 EMD GP40 as CN no. 4007 tour of Ed Kuhr's empire shall be considered as text. The act of mailing the begins on page 50 of this manuscript and/or material shall constitute an ex­ Freight Car Modeling: issue. press warranty that the material is original and in 20 Pennsy PS-2 Covered Hopper from MDC kit� no way an infringement upon the rights of others. 32 86-foot Hi-Cube Box Cars from Athearn kits Readers: Note that the procedures and materials 46 40-foot PS-I Box Cars from McKean, Walthers, Con-Cor, Model Power or contained in the various articles in this magazine Cannonball kits, Part VII are presented in good faith but that no warranty is given and no results guaranteed from any use of Techniques: this material. Nor is any freedom from other 22 Kit-Conversion: Pennsy X-29B Box Car from C&BT Shops and Sunshine kits patent or copyright implied. Since there is no way 44 Derail-Proofing Athearn 86-foot Box Car Kits for us to control the application of material pre­ sented in this magazine, Golden Bell Press and the Layout Tour: respective editors, authors, photographers and il­ 50 Ed Kuhn's West Virginia Southern Railroad lustrators disclaim any liability for untoward re­ sults and/or for any physical injury that may be in­ N curred by using any of the material published in Plans:Scale: this magazine. 13 Appalachian Coal Mine Locomotive Performance: Advertising Director: Robert Bickley 2403 Champa St., Denver, CO 80205 12 Summary of All Previous Test Reports (303) 670-1068; (303) Telephone Fax: Diesel Modeling: 670-1168. 42 Southern Pacific EMD SD40 from Kato's Model Advertising Policy: Railmodel Journal will Diesels, One-Detail-At-A-Time: accept advertising only from manufacturers .. 18 EMD GP40 as CN no. 4007 authorized direct importers, publishers and distributors for their products. No dealer or Freight Cars: discount mail order advertising - no discount 20 Pennsy PS-2 Covered Hoppers fr om the NEW Atlas model ads of any type - will be accepted. Publisher 32 86-foot Hi-Cube Box Cars from Arnold models reserves the right to reject copy, text and/or 46 40-foot PS- I Box Cars from Micro-Trains and Atlas models, Part VII illustrations or complete ads. o RAILMODEL JOURNAL is published 12 LocomotiveScale: Performance: times a year by Golden Bell Press, 2403 Champa 12 Summary of All Previous Test Reports St., Denver, CO 80205. Price per single copy is $2.95, or $28.00 per year in the U.S.A. Individual Diesels, One-Detail-At-A-Time: copy prices higher in Canada and other countries. 18 EMD GP40 as CN no. 4007 Foreign subscriptions $36.00 for 12 issues, pay­ Freight Cars: in U_S_ funds. RAlLMODEL JOURNAL, able. 46 40-foot PS-J Box Cars from Weaver kits, Part VII ISSN 1043-5441, copyright 1993 by Golden Bell Press. All rights reserved. Second Class Postage paid at Denver, CO. POSTMASTER: Send ad­ Departments: dress changes to Railmodel Journal, 2403 49 Calendar Champa St., Denver, CO 80205. 60, 62, 63, 64, 65 , 68 What's New RAILMODEL JOURNAL - January 1994 3 TECHNIQUES MASKING METHODS FOR TWO·COLOR PAINT SCHEMES By Kenneth A. Kessler Here are the tricks you need to insure that the break between two colors will be smooth and even. inely painted motive power is one of the most impressive parts of model railroading. F With a few simple tools and a little practice, you can mask models to recreate those impressive paint jobs. The appropriate tools and equipment are listed, followed by techniques with objectives and step-by-step procedures. The techniques are easy enough to learn and, once mastered, you can mask nearly any scheme you like. A sample paint scheme is offered with instructions to help you better understand the pro­ cedures discussed . If you paint, or .if Previous Painting Articles Basic air brush selection and use ap­ peared in the January 1992 issue.* Painting with acrylics and an airbrush appeared in the March 1992 issue. Weathering with an airbrush appeared in the April 1993 and December 1989 *is­ sues. Weathering with acrylics and an air­ brush appeared in the August 1992 issue. * Painting with aerosol cans appeared in the October 1991 issue. * Weathering with aerosol cans and you would like to paint, you should Tools/Eq uipment brushes appeared in the February* and become a proficient masker. - Plate glass. May 1990 issues. * - Masking tape. Color-matching freight car colors ap­ Masking Advantages - Metal straight edge. peared in the August 1989*, June* and - Paint color match is better and - Sharp knife . November 1990* issues. easier than decals. - Scale ruler. Decal application appeared in the April - Proper size and good fit on all - Sheet styrene . 1991 issue. * models regardless of scale. Applying dry transfers appeared in the May 1991 issue * - Better adherence to uneven sur­ Also suggested _ Weathering with acrylic paint and cot­ faces than decals. - Scale calipers or dividers ton swabs appeared in the December - Paint can be touched up if - Magnifying visor 1989 issue. scratched or chipped . Weathering with powdered pastel - Masking is usually faster than Step 1 - I use a 9x14-inch piece of chalks appeared in the December 1993 applying and setting decals. if4-inch plate glass and a T-square with issue. - No messy wet decals to position an 18-inch aluminum blade. The T­ *NOTE: These articles have all been and set. square assures consistent parallel cuts. reprinted in the book, Freight Car - Finely masked and painted models The metal blade reduces the possibility Modeling... Techniques. are attainable excellence. of damage to the T-square. I put the 4 RAILMODEL JOURNAL - January 1994 glass on a 9xl 4-inch sheet of 'i2-inch styrofoam to cushion the glass and as­ sure clearance for the T -square head. Paper-backed masking tape works well. I prefer at least 3-inch-wide tape. Be sure its adhesive does not shed. Your fingers should not feel sticky after touching the adhesive. Drafting tape does not stick well for me, and I have had no experience with the new plastic­ backed tapes. Your knife must be very sharp for smooth cuts. Start with a new blade and change it often. An X-acto no. II blade in the standard handle works well. Good masking requires good mea­ surement. You must be able to measure Step 1: Equipment - Consistency depends on clean smooth glass, a sharp knife, a lengths accurately. Calipers, calibrated good straightedge and consistent measurement. in scale feet and inches, work best, but similar results are possible with a good scale rule and dividers. I use Burlington Roundhouse's flexible scale rule to measure around curved surfaces. C.T.T., Inc., 109 Medallion Center, Dallas, TX 75214, also makes clear scale rules for N, HO, S, 0 and G scales. Since accuracy is important and dimensions are very small, I use an OptiVisor when cutting and applying tape. Patterns made from sheet plastic are used to cut curves into tape. Evergreen's .030-inch plastic sheet is thick enough to guide the knife well, but thin enough to be easily shaped. Technique Step 2: Cutting - A smooth stroke with firm even pressure gives the best cuts. Step 2 - Initial Tape Cut. With a piece of tape smoothly applied to the glass, put the T-square blade on the tape just below its top edge. Make sure the T-square's head is snug against the glass edge. Draw the knife along the T-square blade in a smooth single stroke using firm, even pressure. Step 3 - Remove and discard the Step 3: Rough edge - An incomplete cut puts tears in the edge and a ragged edge tape above the cut. A successful cut puts on your masking. a smooth, straight, "hard" edge along the top of the tape.