Anyone interested in a undecorated engine?

If you had asked two months ago I would have said "No." With all there is to do on my layout, why add more projects? Then, my father told me that he worked on the Boston and Albany as young man. Not sure why he never mentioned it before, but after listening to his fond memories and interesting stories, I decided to model to B&A as it was in his day. That's when I found out how hard it is to find rolling stock in the B&A livery. There are a number of locomotives and a caboose or two, but as for the rest, it is slim pickin's. I have found a few, but it could take decades at this rate. That's when I became a fan of Undecorated engines and rolling stock. There's just no way around it. If you're going to model some of the smaller lines, you better learn how to prep, paint and decal. Undecorated cars are a nice head start. Count me as a YES!

Emile

I think most manufacturers would think that, since as you say you can repaint something regardless, why waste there time on producing that?  If the unpainted version is not available you will almost certainly buy a painted one and repaint, so what bother . . . ?

True; but why do them in HO,ON30,N scales? You could repaint those too and there are probably more decals available.

I'd buy unpainted versions...it would make customizing easier.  Otherwise I'll be buying two and repainting them anyway.

Bachmann is offering an HO NW2 in a painted but unlettered scheme.  Yellow and black.  I'm thinking Maryland & Pennsylvania or Bethlehem Steel. I would consider buying a painted unlettered model.

Chris,

Bachmann has inventoried N-scale GE 70 ton switchers for years. Not to long ago they started making the 70 ton units in HO. Now then, the next step for WbB is to produce the GE 70 ton switcher in, O-Gauge. I know for a fact that I would buy at least six to start.

I am not one of the members in the Forum with this kind of talent. I have to rely on the professionals.

Unpainted locos only make sense if there are also a selection of decals for the end user.  this may be the case in HO, but in O scale, there is only a tiny selection of possible decal sets out there, and Microscale stopped making new runs years ago.

  I would have to say yes to the original question. I model the T&P(Texas and Pacific a federaly chartered railroad in Texas and Louisiana). It is very hard to find anything lettered for this line except stock cars. I have purchased several "undecorated" cars and two steam engines and am very satisfied with the results. There are decals available with just letters and numbers that can be used. The problem comes with the company logo. I have used some decal paper and scanned the logo from my computer, the results were not impressive but I am still on the learning curve with this process. Getting the logo to the correct size was a big problem.

  With todays computer technology it is only a matter of time until the decal problem is solved.

  The first step for me is to obtain a good photo of the subject to be modeled. Once this is obtained the rest kind of falls into place.

Douglas

Most Atlas offerings have included undecorated/unpainted units as part of the offering.
I've done a couple of Atlas SW-9's and a GP-7 undecorated/same price.
GP-7


SW-9's



The undecorated units have to be ordered via a pre-order list just like all the other models.
Most recent Atlas SW offering.  Click on the underlined phrase to access.  First listing is undecorated.
IMO In this out of the box on to the layout world, these custom pieces are a very small part of the market.

A readily available supply of O scale decals....for most everything except letters/numbers in appropriate fonts/colors...is, indeed, most of the concern with this concept.

That said, I'd prefer products that are painted/unlettered, as opposed to unpainted. 

Reason? It would help the modeler if the manufacturer had cleaned the plastic/diecasting parts as part of the finishing process, and put on a coat of paint that would serve as either the finish coat (steam...black) or as a primer coat (diesel/electric....light, neutral color).  Some of the molding/handling materials that end up on the 'unpainted' products can be the make-or-break of a good finish if not thoroughly and properly removed.  That's sometimes a hazardous process for the typical modeler, if not a nettlesome one.

Ergo, I'd vote painted (primed)/unlettered. 

But, then, I have too many other projects weighing down my 'bucket list' to consider adding this one.

KD

I like the idea but unfortunately I do not have the talent to paint an engine.

For the repainter, such as myself: Undecorated units are MUCH PREFERED over repainting decorated units.  You either have to:

* Strip the painted unit, which can be a real PITA.

* Lightly sand the unwanted paint edges/lettering of the deoroated unit so it will not show through under the very thin (this is desirable) hobby paints.

Bottom line: It is usually more work to repaint a decorated unit than paint an undecorated unit.

The above is FWIW, and YMMV.

The 44 tonner is an ideal candidate for undec as I suspect the majority were owned by companies other than railroads. Will Bachman letter one for Kodak or Ford? Likely not.

That said the lack of commercially made decals make DIY harder every year. I would have no problem painting my own if I knew I could just go down to the local hobby shop or Walthers and get what I needed for 5 bucks.

Pete

Yes, I would like it if more undecorated items were offered. Sometimes I just like the

look of the model itself (I have 3 Pilot steamers), plus an already-decorated diesel

can range anywhere from no bother to a pain to re-do. Depends.

I have pre-ordered a WBB scale 44T in Southern Railway paint - the SOU had a few.

I probably will not buy another WBB 44T after the SOU comes in - unless they offer it Undecorated, in which case I will DEFINITELY get another one. So, a sale probably

not happening otherwise.

Atlas & Weaver are the only undecorated O scale models. It would be behoove Bachmann to offer their new 44 tonner in GE's standard paint scheme unlettered in various colors. As to the other items, I buy the simplest paint scheme, usually PRR, and with 1200 grit sandpaper I carefully wet sand off the lettering.

Decals for O scale are getting hard to find so I usually make my own with an Alps MD1000 printer.

This scheme was offered by GE in many colors.

There definitely needs to be enough decals available. Priming, painting and decals aren't a problem for me so much except stripes. They are a PITA for me so I tend to stay away from them. I don"t have the know how to do my own on decals wish I knew someone who did. I have to rely on Micro-scale if they have what I need. Sometimes HO decals will work depending on what there going on.

I'd buy undec units....did so in my HO days.  But as Lee said....those FEW in O 3R that paint their locos, like me, buy any road and repaint them. Each stock number, SKU , cost a company money....so I doubt they will offer them. This was cONRAIL...

Absolutely......here's the one I want to do as a custom.....the New York Ontario & Western

Peter

Emile.

I know a forum member that has some Boston & Albany Passenger cars and some other things B&A. I couldn't find your Email?  Shoot me an Email and I'll give you his info.

Thanks Chris. I sent you an email and updated my profile to include my email address. Any lead is much appreciated.

Emile

Mr. "laming" nailed it.  Atlas doesn't offer steam, and Weaver now has very few

steam offerings...so it is strip and mess.

That said, I'd prefer products that are painted/unlettered, as opposed to unpainted.

I agree, steam engines painted black; freight cars painted boxcar red, tuscan or black; diesels primed.  There should be a market for painted unlettered models particularly for generic designs, i.e. USRA.  Pat B.