This was a Lionel American Flyer U33c Erie Lackawanna model 6-48142 from the first run of these in 2009. I picked it up very cheap with the intent to re-paint it to one of my preferred roadnames/schemes. I found prototype photos of some SCL/LN U36b's that are nearly identical in design and then went searching for decals. As is often the case, these did not exist in S scale, but I found a great HO set offered by Highball Graphics. Highball agreed to make a custom S scale run of these waterslide decals for me. I airbrushed the shell in L&N gray from Badger Model Flex and spray painted the truck sideframes and fuel tank in Rust-Oleum Camouflage Earth Brown. Unlike the U33c's from the 2012 run, this model cannot be updated with an RCDR receiver board and thus made DCC compatible. So I decided to install a TCS WOW 501 for Diesel decoder with hopes that I could use this to control Lionel's smoke unit. Alas it worked. I also installed all new lighting for cab, markers, headlights, tail-lights, and number boards. Interestingly, in the video the lights appear to flicker; however, in person they do not. I have experienced this phenomenon making videos from my phone previously. Then came decaling which included making number boards through trial and error by using Microsoft Word and printing on plan white copy paper. Then masking the windows and lights so I could spray it with coats of Tamiya TS-80 flat clear. Lastly, came weathering using pan pastels and chalk power followed by more Tamiya flat clear.
