Factory Decorating Error

“The wave off from MTH” does this mean that MTH will not be providing you the applied number board decals? I’m surprised. I would think that is an easy fix.

If MTH can’t fix this now, what happens if you receive a locomotive a couple of months from now with otherwise minor but correctable defects or missing some decals?

“MTH will not be providing you the applied number board decals.” You are correct. They don’t have them. End of story.

Mark:

I would imagine Microscale should have a decal set in the correct number font. Then it’s just a simple matter of cutting and applying the correct numbers.

Curt

@Madockawando posted:

“The wave off from MTH” does this mean that MTH will not be providing you the applied number board decals? I’m surprised. I would think that is an easy fix.

Probably because the numbers are likely pad printed on.

Rusty

Thx Curt, Rusty.

Curt - after a somewhat prolonged back and forth, Ms. V. Hays of Microscale has informed me that they have no numbers in 1/48. Not the answer I was expecting. Any other suggestions? Thx.

MTH can't produce the numbers for you? It seems simple enough.

@Madockawando posted:

MTH can't produce the numbers for you? It seems simple enough.

This are not decals.  They are pad painted on.  Not sure how MTH could fix that.  There are may custom paint companies out there that can fix this, unfortunately you will have to pay them to fix.

Good Luck

Regardless if this is a decal or pad painted on.  It should be a simple correction for MTH or any train company.

Woodland Scenics has a good selection of dry transfer numbers, and I’ve even used them on HO models. In the past, I’ve painted the number boards white, and when dried, added the dry transfers, and over coated them with a clear coat, brushed on.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Curt - after a somewhat prolonged back and forth, Ms. V. Hays of Microscale has informed me that they have no numbers in 1/48. Not the answer I was expecting. Any other suggestions? Thx.

The numberboards on the Also  RS3 are pretty small.  The HO set would probably work.

Rusty

@Madockawando posted:

Regardless if this is a decal or pad painted on.  It should be a simple correction for MTH or any train company.

How is it a simple fix for MTH?  If it is pad painted what would you have MTH do.  Have the customer return the shell, send it back to China to be painted and then have it shipped back to the customer...how well do you think that would go?  MTH doesn't have manufacturing/painting facilities stateside, so I'm  not sure what you want them to do.  It's a crappy situation, but it is what it is, a mistake.  There are many options, custom painter, inkjet water decals, or simply return it to the place of purchase.

If your looking for white numbers with a black background. Check out www.tichytraingroup.com.  Look in their decal section for data. They offer number boards for steamers in both O, S and HO.  2 sizes in each set. They should work in this application. I can help if you give me the exact size you need as to which one to order. I can check what I have leftover and maybe can hook you up with just what you need. I purchased both the S and O to put numbers in the headlights of some relettered steamers. I checked out their site. You can get the 12, 92 and 94 together. You would just have a splice in the middle. I would paint the background of the number board black. Apply the decals. Then add clear gloss or maybe canopy glue over it to simulate glass. Applying single numbers can be tedious work. With the black background in place these are pretty user friendly to apply.

Here are 2 ideas.

If Microscale or Tichy has the numbers in HO, you could enlarge them via photocopying onto decal paper.  Microscale makes decal paper.

If you or a friend have Ben Coiffman's RR Font software, print the numbers in the colors & UP font size onto decal  paper.

Please share your eventual solution with us.  

Food for thought. Sounds like a lot of viable options. Thanks, everyone.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Curt - after a somewhat prolonged back and forth, Ms. V. Hays of Microscale has informed me that they have no numbers in 1/48. Not the answer I was expecting. Any other suggestions? Thx.

Mark:

Sorry; just saw this. Rusty’s suggestion to try HO decals sounds like a good one! My experience with Microscale decal sets is they typically have a selection of numbers in different font sizes. A large font HO number may work well in the number board.

I did an O gauge ACL gondola last December and some of the large letters from an HO decal sheet were actually perfect for an O gauge car.

Curt

Thx for the reply Curt.