Removing paint from Rivarossi C Liners

600 wet sandpaper, and only until the edges of lettering and stripes are smooth.  Lightly scuff the rest.

Have done it this way, even made a B unit, and only scuffed the lettering edges invisible. Never had the factory paint come off underneath.

Curious, what are you going to paint them up for?  I have passed up a few of those c liners over the years, might have to get the next one I come across that isnt all beat up. 

When I was first getting into trains I had an ABA set of HO C liners.  My Dad built us a basement layout and they could pull anything.  So even though they aren't the best models I've always had s fondness for CLiners and when I switched to O scale I picked up a couple.  They don't run that well so I'm putting in the old weaver drives and I'm going to paint an ABA for the Milwaukee Road.  They actually had C liners.  I've tried to kitbash a B but was not happy with my result but I have bought two that other people did and they look good.  Neither is painted though, hence my question.  I may do an AA set in a fictitious paint scheme too.  I think I have ten of them that I've picked up over the years.

I did a "B".  Traded it and an A for a live steamer.  If you use care, you can make the joint disappear, but filling in the extra fans is a chore.  If I ever do it again I shall use Bondo.

Mine, whenever I happen to get around to it, will be painted up in CN colors and put to work on my future Central Vermont layout.  The CN units were fairly common on the CV back in the day.

 

Jim

I had good luck stripping all of the paint from Rivarossi PRR C-liners using Castrol Super Clean.  After an overnight soak in full-strength Super Clean, most of the paint just fell off.  The remainder (in some depressions and around the horns) came off using a toothbrush and running water.  The same method did NOT work on Rivarossi Santa Fe C-liners.  That paint (especially the silver) was immune to Super Clean.

 

Super Clean did not attack the plastic at all.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

I've also used Castrol Super Clean for years. in most cases it works like a charm without any harm to plastic.

some chinese painted engines use a paint that's more akin to ink than paint, so you may not get it all off. but the SC does a good job of thinning and dulling the 'ink' paint layer, leaving a nice surface tooth for re-painting.

 

I've had good luck with Easy Off Oven Cleaner when stripping paint off model cars/planes etc. Wont harm the plastic but does strip any chrome off. Has to to be the type that has the lye in it as they offer two types now.

I have done many.  Brake fluid and done.