My Lionel PRR H10 bright silver correction/mod

Looks good to me! 

That definitely looks better.

Just some thoughts here Larry, not a criticizm of what you've done:

Neo lube doesn't dry correct? So sloppy handling and it can get on fingers and smudge?

How will the neolube react to smoke fluid? Will the fluid bead off or wash off the neolube?

I've been contemplating this correction on mine.

I wonder if weathering powder could give a similar effect?

Powder would seem slightly less disasterous if mishandled, and possibly easier to remove if desired.

I approve, and I might use this on my Western Allegheny H10 when it arrives. Just a few questions:

1. Where can you find this Neolube stuff?

2. How many coats did you do to get it that dark?

Thanks in advance!

What about this product?     Some guy suggested it on another H10 thread.       Here is my H10 Western Allegheny 

I have only seen Neolube sold via Micromark found Here.  What you saw was about 2 coats.  Again, I like it because it only took 10 mins to do and I didn't have to mask anything and technically, you can remove it with a product that I found called Goof Off. 

Rick, on my M1, I first used some black chalk and some water.  I thought it looked good.  As I would do different things to the smokebox front that may have needed some putty, I discovered Neolube as a great touch-up because it didn't really leave any brush strokes and it blended in so well.  I think that you'll find that the chalk will leave it looking powdery, perhaps.  This looks like a paint job.  And it does dry.  Smoke fluid doesn't seem to affect it.  I'm pleased and would do it again in a heartbeat.  It doesn't take much product either to cover the effected area. 

RickO posted:

That definitely looks better.

...I agree...

Mark in Oregon

I went looking at my collection of PRR in color books.

The Lionel loco as-is is OK for a freshly shopped engine, depending on the shop. But it still looks garish to me. Generally, the smokebox color should be "flatter" than the rest of the boiler, but after heavy service the entire engine will look the same. Anyway, whatever looks OK to you will match the real thing somewhere.

The worst sin is the passenger pilot. I have an early Lionel version with that pilot and I would have thought Lionel would have corrected that glaring error.

P.S.: I dunno how well the Neolube treatment will last. as someone above mentioned. An alternative is Pan Pastels:  http://www.panpastel.com/   the current hot idea for weathering. They are more permanent than weathering powder, but still should have a fixative applied. In any case, practice before you start on your prized piece of equipment.

The other thing I never liked about Lionel's graphite color is the metallic-flake look.  Whether it is prototypical or not, the engines that are in the museum in Strasburg don't seem to have that metallic appearance.  I much prefer the flat, non-metallic look which Neolube has given me.  Just my opinion; there's room for everyone.

As far as the prototype goes, it appears that the RRMPA uses a basic paint on the smokeboxes they've restored.  In practice on operating locomotives, a mixture of graphite and an oil such as linseed oil is applied to the smokebox which does have a slightly metallic look to it since the graphite is in a powdered form.  It usually lightens up as it dries, although it also weathers from soot and such pretty quickly as well.  At least on my computer screen, your neolube job looks pretty close.

Obviously that only applies to the graphite colored smokeboxes, other methods were used as well depending on the railroad.

Looks great...I hope the VL Challenger doesn’t show up with a bright silver smokebox! 

The first step I plan on my Niagara is hit it with clear flat. Many roads used aluminum paint but I have never seen it as shiny as Lionel's and if you have ever used aluminum paint it flattens out on its own in a few weeks. 

I hope Lionel goes back to its eggshell finish. Save the high gloss for the pre war tinplate.

Pete

rex desilets posted:

P.S.: I dunno how well the Neolube treatment will last. as someone above mentioned. An alternative is Pan Pastels:  http://www.panpastel.com/   the current hot idea for weathering. They are more permanent than weathering powder, but still should have a fixative applied. In any case, practice before you start on your prized piece of equipment.

Neolube will wear off if handled.  I use it on my siderods and valve gear.

The good thing is it's easy to reapply and blends back in perfectly.

Rusty

Some research revealed that the Long Island had some engines with bright smokeboxes. The era and the duration of this practice is not clear. The reasons range from improved visibility at grade crossings, to special excursions (mentioned End of Steam Ceremony), to possible practices before the PRR scquisition(?), to using aluminum powder versus graphite. I don't want to waste time debating these points or the accuracy of  same......I am just presenting these images for your information to show that there were bright smokeboxes.    

Two possible solutions that can be purchased at Lowes

These two different shots come to mind, but the bright silver one seems to be an anomaly.  I haven't spent much time looking, but I can't find another one like it.

The green that Lionel uses to paint the PRR engines...is that fairly accurate?  

RickO posted:

That definitely looks better.

Just some thoughts here Larry, not a criticizm of what you've done:

Neo lube doesn't dry correct? So sloppy handling and it can get on fingers and smudge?

How will the neolube react to smoke fluid? Will the fluid bead off or wash off the neolube?

I've been contemplating this correction on mine.

I wonder if weathering powder could give a similar effect?

Powder would seem slightly less disasterous if mishandled, and possibly easier to remove if desired.

Well I LIKE the K.I.S. [Gloria] principle of Neolube! I bet after the Neolube dries, I will add Future Floor shine and that will seal it. DONE!

You guys are unbelievable in how you keep trying to reinvent the wheel? They make a perfectly good graphite color model paint. Have for many a year.

Big Jim posted:

You guys are unbelievable in how you keep trying to reinvent the wheel? They make a perfectly good graphite color model paint. Have for many a year.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm definitely not trying to reinvent the wheel...I used Neolube before, "many a year ago," because I liked the results.  I was passing along what I found that worked for me.  I was looking for a super easy way to do this without a metallic look.  I found it.  

N&W posted:

I don't want to waste time debating these points or the accuracy of  same......I am just presenting these images for your information to show that there were bright smokeboxes.    

 

Great thread!

Thank you for the photos and insight N&W!  As they say theres a prototype for everything. 

Your photos may just convince me to leave well enough alone. My novice painting skills could possibly do more harm than good.

This reminds me of the last preorder from a few years ago I made from Lionel. The ESE with the standard tender. I was disappointed in the spoked drivers on the rear set. I thought surely Lionel had made a huge mistake:

Low and behold, several weeks ago I ran across an old forum thread with a photo posted proving it DID happen:

One wonders where Lionel is looking to find these not so typical prototypes.

Your welcome Ricko..

I am pleased with my #7109 Lines West, despite the "supposed" discrepancies noted by the "experts" who were never track-side to witness the actual machines.

I am pleased Lionel released an engine with all of these features at a "comfortable" price.......I hope this trend continues..........

"The other thing I never liked about Lionel's graphite color is the metallic-flake look."

Absolutely. 

------------

"One wonders where Lionel is looking to find these not so typical prototypes."

No, one doesn't wonder. The world is full of RR books, eBay has them, there are, of course, websites, and there are even, still, libraries. The rear-spoked-drive ESE photo above is in a book I have. I've seen it elsewhere. I applaud Lionel's searching out the interesting variation. (BTW, Lionel, the ESE spoked drivers were never painted silver; by this time the other drivers were generally darker (a gray, SFAIK).

N&W posted:

Your welcome Ricko..

I am pleased with my #7109 Lines West, despite the "supposed" discrepancies noted by the "experts" who were never track-side to witness the actual machines.

I am pleased Lionel released an engine with all of these features at a "comfortable" price.......I hope this trend continues..........

It's good that you're happy.  Ultimately, that's all that really matters.

However, let's not pooh-pooh the experts.  Experts do not have to have witness locomotives track-side.  (For example, none of the pale-ontological experts have ever witnessed a dinosaur...)

Locomotives from the Pennsy and the other major railroads are very well documented.  There's a fair amount of folks here who enjoy the knowledge their researches bring on a given railroad subject and they have every right to question the details of a product from a manufacturer.

Rusty

Rusty,

In case you missed it, "experts" was in quotes.......