Decals and or dry transfer help please.

Don't know if the period of decals you want are shown, but look here.

https://k4decals.com/search?q=grand+trunk+western

https://k4decals.com/search?q=michigan+central

For any other roads, there's a search box at the top left side of the page to type in your road name. When you click on a set of decals, you chose the scale you want and then are shown the price for that particular scale.

And one more...

https://highballgraphics.com/i.../grand-trunk-western

And yet one more, but you'll have to do some searching here. You click on the type of train and then see all the decals offered. I looked under a couple categories and didn't see any GT or MC, but that doesn't mean there aren't any OR something else that attracts you attention.

https://www.protocraft.com/Majors.cfm?ID=1#Complete

Good luck. I personally prefer screen printed decals. I've messed around doing my own on a laser jet using MicroScale blank stock with lousy results. But later I found out there is blank decal stock made specifically for laser jet printers. Still you can't print white, without buying white stock and then printing a color background (and TRYING to have the printed background color match the train car color perfectly) around the white lettering.

I've had better luck printing black decals on a Zerox type copy machine.

I have used K4Decals with good success. i would also recommend Micro Set  Solutions to help in placing the decals.  There are You Tube videos on how to use Micro Set Solutions which I would suggest viewing before beginning project.  Good luck with your project.

+1 for K4 decals. Excellent product and they do some Michigan Central. They sell on eBay so you could contact them through eBay if you don't see what you are looking for.This tender was done with K4.

Pete

If you are near a school with an Art Department, ask the professor for the names of a couple of students who may be interested in lettering your toys.  College students are always looking for ways to pick up some pocket change.                     John

@dkdkrd posted:

 

You're not alone in this.  It's one of the reasons scratchbuilding and undec. kits are skills/products of the past.  Believe it or not, but about 75 years ago there were some builders of note who hand-lettered their equipment...very credibly, too!!  Not for the faint-of-heart or shaky hand!!  (Know any beady-eyed calligraphers?)

Good luck!

KD

Yes the late Bill Lenore here in Tampa was a scratch builder who hand lettered. His work was beautiful. 

Clover House lists a Michigan Central boxcar dry transfer set.

@Gene H posted:

Yes the late Bill Lenore here in Tampa was a scratch builder who hand lettered. His work was beautiful. 

A member of a two rail layout near New York City painted his cars.  One I remember is the Monarch Foods reefer with the lion face complete with whiskers.  He made a string of reefers, his name may have been Robert Wagner.     John

I created these decals on Testor's decal paper with a clear backing.  I used AutoCAD to develop my vector art for this Williams Genesis prior to MTH or Williams offering the heritage schemes.

I had a mixed experience although they did work.  Inkjet printed decals are challenging to work with.  Solvaset, which has been my go to decal setting solution since I was 16 shriveled these up and I had to print them over.  The backing in the realm of Champ thickness, so I was finally successful with pushing the large water bubbles to the edge, letting it set up, and them applying a very small amount of Solvaset to get the "pimples" to settle down after putting a needle through them.

It was not overly expensive and you could do this artwork with any computer art tool.  Overall I was ultimately happy with the success.  Not sure if I'll do that again however.  It was frustrating at times.

Good luck with your project!

Well I think I am going with Michigan Central decals from K4.  While they will be for freight cars I think in between the logos and some dry transfer numbers I can make up my locomotive.  The big disappointment is the decals from the 30's to the 50's for Grand Trunk and Western.  I can't even find those in freight car type to use. Unless I overlooked them.  I definitely can not find any M.C.R.R. nor G.T.W. with the maple leaf in O gauge or O scale.

I thank everyone for the help thus far.

I have also used K4 decals they are reasonably priced, good quality and shipped quickly they are purchased on E-Bay. Also check the Tichy Train Group Decals they have a set of decals for a 2 bay GTW cement covered hopper car.

Can anyone make me a custom set of decals for my Christmas trains? I've tried Microscale and K4 and they don't do them. I'd pay you for your work. My e-mail is: Paulefudd@hotmail.com

I'd likely need a few sets for tenders, and black transfers to cover up existing roadnames. 

Thanks.

Paul Let me know what you find out.  So far the going rate I have found is around $40-$50 to have them made and another $40-$50 to have them printed.

The  Solvaset I purchased decades(!) ago was finally used up, so I bought and tried some Micro Sol.

It didn't "wrinkle" the decals as much as the Solvaset, and seemed to work "okay", but only after repeated applications (4-5). Seems to me the Solvaset would do it in one or maybe 2 passes...should I have bought the "Micro Set" instead? What is the difference?

Will be getting more Solvaset (and "Goo") and do a side-by-side comparison.

Mark in Oregon

I use Evan Design Decal, with some good results as long as you have good art work and a good printer. here are some HO cars I did for a RR we built for the Holyoke MA Senior Center.

@Strummer posted:

The  Solvaset I purchased decades(!) ago was finally used up, so I bought and tried some Micro Sol.

It didn't "wrinkle" the decals as much as the Solvaset, and seemed to work "okay", but only after repeated applications (4-5). Seems to me the Solvaset would do it in one or maybe 2 passes...should I have bought the "Micro Set" instead? What is the difference?

Will be getting more Solvaset (and "Goo") and do a side-by-side comparison.

Mark in Oregon

Yes, Solvaset is the "stronger" of the 2 brands. It is my go-to decal solution, and I need some more, too. I have and use both Solvaset and Micro Sol/Set. Microscale decal film is thin (OK for HO, but thinner than I like for large O decal optimal handling).

Several years ago I used some Solvaset on some Microscale decals and it just more or less ate them up, as in wrinkling/distorting. I never saw this again - or before - but I try to keep it away from Microscale decals.

K4 decals are excellent. I think that I have used Solvaset and Micro Sol on them. I'm not doing much decaling right now.

I still miss Champ and especially Rail Graphics, a lot. Good decal film thickness. 

@D500 posted:

Yes, Solvaset is the "stronger" of the 2 brands. It is my go-to decal solution, and I need some more, too. I have and use both Solvaset and Micro Sol/Set. Microscale decal film is thin (OK for HO, but thinner than I like for large O decal optimal handling).

Several years ago I used some Solvaset on some Microscale decals and it just more or less ate them up, as in wrinkling/distorting. I never saw this again - or before - but I try to keep it away from Microscale decals.

K4 decals are excellent. I think that I have used Solvaset and Micro Sol on them. I'm not doing much decaling right now.

I still miss Champ and especially Rail Graphics, a lot. Good decal film thickness. 

Thanks for chiming in; I guess it wasn't just me after all! 

Interesting what you say about Solvaset and Microscale decals; I have used them together with no problems. Maybe I've just been lucky...

Mark in Oregon

I have found you can use Solvaset with Microscale decals but you have to start removing it within about 30 seconds where Micro Sol might take 3 minutes for the same effect. I would only use it for very rough surfaces like outside ribs or tall rivets.

Pete

Anyone ever try the decal solvents from Micro Mark.