Are You Happy With The Repainted Stripe on your N&W J Class Engine

Harry repainted 2 Js for us. One was weathered fairly heavily, the other lightly like the Spirit of Roanoke would be. We are delighted with his work.

Harry asked me to give you his number and for you to call him. (856) 625-5506.

Bill Webb

Harry also did three and other work for someone else that were not weathered and who will probably be glad to help you. Harry can give you his info. I can’t give names, etc but I have talked to him and he really knows his N and W stuff.

Hi John,

I had 3 - 600 - 603 - 611 (Roanoke) - redone by Harry and I did not get them weathered. I like shiny trains, what can I say?

I’m very very happy with the results. I am apprehensive about getting locomotives repainted, especially since I had worked with Harry before. Well I am very glad with the results, the fast turn around and Harry is currently repainting my N&W Cavalier Passenger cars as we speak. In my opinion I think you will be happy with the results. 

Here are some photos I took for for you tonight - I also included the new legacy 746 version so you can compare the original stripe color to Harry’s redone versions. Just for fun I brought out my postwar 746 so you can see it side by side with the new Legacy 746. This is about 1/4 of my J fleet - that’s not of all my N&W engines that’s just the Js.  Maybe I should get around to scenery and ballasting the track one of these days.....

Under what conditions is it apparent that decals are used for lettering and numbers?

I can tell it's not a factory paint job. But then I'm picky.

Hal

Pingman posted:

Under what conditions is it apparent that decals are used for lettering and numbers?

Air bubbles under the decals?

Pingman posted:

Under what conditions is it apparent that decals are used for lettering and numbers?

Also, you can see the edges of the decal.

jpnrc posted:

But I wonder if it is obvious that the re-lettering and numbering has been done with decals?  

Thanks for the input.  John

From the photos that I have seen posted, yes, it has been very apparent!

Think long about your decision John!

Bill Webb and M J, thanks for your helpful responses.  And M J's pictures are especially helpful.  As I said in my original post, the repainted stripe is a much closer match to Lionel's Powhatan Arrow cars made from the 1980s through 2012.

Anyone else with comments about their repainted J?  Thanks.  John

I sat for a few days and chewed on some of the comments here, and I think the pictures speak for themselves.  The stripe itself is clearly painted on, not a decal. Of course the lettering is a decal - no one I know of in the United States does pad printing for model trains, and good luck getting anything out of China in the next year or 2...  

I spent a good amount of time holding the engines in my hand and looking 12 inches away from them to see if I could observe any major flaws in Harry’s work and there are none. No bubbles, nothing apparent, zilch, nada, zippo, no way José. If we are going to nit pick then yes there is some bleeding into the factory yellow trim stripes but its minor. 

I own these locomotives and I’m happy with them and the work Harry did - I think there are too many people who have a problem for every solution. 

M J Breen posted:

  The stripe itself is clearly painted on, not a decal. Of course the lettering is a decal - no one I know of in the United States does pad printing for model trains, and good luck getting anything out of China in the next year or 2...  

 

 

For the record both Len Carparelli and Robert Salerno do pad printing on their model train restorations and creations. Had they done this job I am sure you could not distinguish their work from factory.

Pete

M J Breen posted:

I sat for a few days and chewed on some of the comments here, and I think the pictures speak for themselves.  The stripe itself is clearly painted on, not a decal. Of course the lettering is a decal - no one I know of in the United States does pad printing for model trains, and good luck getting anything out of China in the next year or 2...  

I spent a good amount of time holding the engines in my hand and looking 12 inches away from them to see if I could observe any major flaws in Harry’s work and there are none. No bubbles, nothing apparent, zilch, nada, zippo, no way José. If we are going to nit pick then yes there is some bleeding into the factory yellow trim stripes but its minor. 

I own these locomotives and I’m happy with them and the work Harry did - I think there are too many people who have a problem for every solution. 

 

 

Just looking at your photos, I can clearly see flaws in the paint and decaling. I can clearly see bubbles, the edges of the lettering decals and differences in the yellow color between the lettering/numbers and stripes. And, what you call "minor" bleeding may be acceptable to you, but, I wouldn't accept it. But hey! You got a darker red stripe, enjoy it!

I wonder if the replacement shells will have the corrected stripe color already on them in the Lionel Support page.

@Peter Araujo posted:

I wonder if the replacement shells will have the corrected stripe color already on them in the Lionel Support page.

Not likely. Lionel parts inventory is created from disassembled production locos. Not to mention , the $320 price tag  could be put towards a better painter. Get some suggestions from the forum.

Christine Braden has had rave reviews from forum members.

OGR Forum,

Here we are now in 2022, the post and replies below still a very helpful ...

Anyone have any new updates on just stripe repainting (with no weathering)?

What about the road number/road name lettering efforts along with a repainting job?

- Decals - Any bubbles or not? Do bubbles and/or letters flake over time?

- What about non-decal 'pad paining'? And experience with J Class steam?

- Any other model train painters who are very good?

- Ken