authentic paint schemes & finding or making the shades needed from what company's now ?

I appreciate your post. I don't think I am going to learn the skills of air brushing without many trials and with mostly errors. So I have been searching for an easy answer for the rattle canner that I am to find an acceptable accurate Tuscan red. How is your research going? 

Mr. Adventure,

I can definitely sympathize with you on the paint colors.

Floquil is gone, I think purchased by Testors but the detail saving paint is not around anymore. I have found some of the acrylic paint works in the proper airbrush, but the color match, that is another story. I acquired a pair of UP diesels that were in need of major repairs. My local hobby shop had in stock several colors of the UP yellow or gold if you prefer but none matched, he was good enough to special order from another manufacturer, but it was not a match.

I ended up going to Home Depot and they made a decent match. The problem there was latex paint which is to thick and obliderates details, fortunately on the diesels it wasn't a highly detailed area.

I have been told that Sherwin Williams will color match paint, you may be able to find the match you want, but may have to purchase more than needed

Ray

One more thing I didn't mention, I have had good results masking with tape called frog tape that I used when spraying with rattle cans.

Ray

Scalecoat Paints are still around (Weavers old line of paint) just google scalecaot paints and you will get a hit on who has them now.

About the only way you can match colors is to use the same paint that was used in the first place. I have yet to find a match for manufacturers colors unless its black. No one's Pullman Green matches MTHs. I will have to check out their auction, maybe paint will be offered........unlikely.

Pete 

Doug,

Look at the attachment.  It suggests alternatives (including one mixture) for an old brand's Tuscan paint.  As noted above though, there's no guarantee that any of them will match your existing.

Chuck

Pennsynut; Ray; Rick; Pete; Chuck;    I would like to thank you for your reply's and comments.  I am looking into them especially the attachment for 'post-floquil' guide to painting w/ acrylic's. The scale coat needs a look at as well.  I had seen the frog tape along side the blue everyone is using - but thought an felt it was for house painting, cutting in windows n doors ?  it didn't seem 3-d flexible for around indented corner work or around built in detail work as on a tender.  i used to use a 'liquid' for around window type details  - but my hand isn't that 20 yr old anymore.  ha  thankyou all again, and with success i hope to be able to figure out how to display a picture on here for opinions.   regards, Doug

I've stopped beating my head against the wall looking for Pullman Green.  The color faded differently in different climates/routes.  It was *******ized at a multitude of repair shops.  Benjamin Moore has Alligator Alley 441 and Pine Brook 490.  Both could be used on heavyweight passenger and express cars.    John

I'm unclear if you want to use spray paint from a can or an airbrush.  IMHO while rattle cans can be easy, too much paint is applied were you don't want it.

I just did a project with Tru-Color paint.  They have Railroad colors.  I was happy with the final results, but it took me a while to get there.  I took my project down to bare metal 4 times.

My airbrush did not like True Color paint unless I used a lot of thinner and high psi.  It's also a pain to clean up (not water soluble).

I have done three jobs with Tamiya paint.  Thinning is easy, the airbrush loved it, it coated well and clean up was easy.

The colors may not match what you have.  But just look at the prototype.  When did colors ever match except the day they rolled off assembly?  Sun and natural weathering make all equipment just a little different shade.  And IMHO more interesting on your layout too.  Not everything will look alike.

If you are taping just invest in appropriate model tape.  I tried 3M and Frog.  They pulled paint off.  See pics below.  Then I purchased Tamiya tape.  I saw a trick where this fella stuck the tape to his shirt first, then the model.  It takes off just enough glue so it still sticks but won't pull paint.  I did that and it worked nicely.

The yellow on the engine is TruColor.  The Yellow on the caboose it Tamiya.  They are different shades.  But then again, look at the prototype. They are all different too.

Have Fun.

Ron

I just had a look at this thread and I am going out on a limb because I am scratch building a couple of coaches for a James locomotive and am in the middle of the paint project using the spray cans. I found that painting with the spray cans that if I let the paint cure, with Rustoleum or Krylon plastic friendly paints it is generally 48 hours, before masking I have not had the tape lift the paint.

I earlier had mentioned using the Frog tape for masking between colors. I will admit that when I first started to use the Frog tape or the blue tape for masking and especially on the acrylic paints I did have the tape pull off paint. This first happened as I was doing multiple colors on some scratch built cars and with much frustration I thought of redoing the entire project. I stopped and looked at the idea of stripping the paint, ended up buying a cleaning solution from Home Depot and leaving the cars in the solution for a day and the paint was entirely gone. The fix I arrived at for this project and future projects was to use the acrylic primer. I had previously just painted the acrylic on the plastic and it did not bind sufficiently if areas had to be masked. Since starting to use the primer I have painted numerous projects, buildings, rolling stock, and several locomotives without any problems of paint being pulled off by the tape.

I will not paint anything with these water based paints again without the primer, it is also a barrier if you want to use paint that the plastics don't like.

Ray

Great thread with useful information !!!

Thanks to all posters !!!

CB&Q Bill