Best method for removing Athearn Bluebox decals?


chessie_system3

chessie_system3

Well-Known Member
Anyone know the best way to remove Athearn BB decals? Mine is the newer style one that came out just before the RTR line.
 

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I've used IPA to remove decals, but I wouldn't recommend it, I ended up with a big faded patch where the decal was, unless the decal you want to replace it with is about 20% larger, I'd wait till you find the right one.
 
I know the older BB locomotives were painted. You can tell on my SD40s and my lone U23B. The ones on my GP40 however I'm not so sure about. It just seems different. I guess they could be painted on as well.
 
chessie_system3 said:
I inspected the loco again. I guess the numbers and the sort are painted on. Best guess would be to paint over what I want changed then? Or is there another way?
Click to expand...
Cover it over with a patch of some sort, prototypes sometimes do this when changing ownership rather than repaint the whole thing. So yes I guess painting over them in some way short of repainting the entire thing.

Dave LASM
 
These are painted on, sort of like printed on. If you are planning to change the paint scheme without the Chessie cat and signage visible from under new paint, i'd try brake fluid. Worked ok on my recent Roundhouse caboose, and i mean ok. Paint around decals came off quicker than paint from under imprinted logo and signs. Used old tooth brush to work that off. Make sure you check once in a while on the progress and slowly brush off the paint that's coming off little by little.
 
I use these to remove most number decals from Blue Box and other models such as Proto 2000 etc:
www.ebay.co.uk

Faber Castell Perfection Artists Precision Eraser Pencil with Brush : 7058-B | eBay

Ideal for the precision erasing of graphite, charcoal and coloured pencil. PRODUCT CODE :7058-B.
www.ebay.co.uk

No idea if these are available in the US though, having to constantly sharpen the pencil can be a bit of a pain but they do the job in numerals and smaller printed/painted details, bit less effective on larger items such as large Santa Fe 'billboard' long hood logo lettering though.
 
chessie_system3 said:
The numbers. Or I could actually change the reporting marks on it as well. The number belongs to a B&O unit. Or I could keep it C&O and change the number.
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If you have the Chessie yellow (or close to it) I would paint over the C add the B and as I always say weathering hides mistakes, or in your situation the tone difference.
 
Well I went and found an old Athearn shell in the parts box. I used a pencil eraser. Here's the end result.
IMG_20240114_083008.jpg
Probably best to replace the reporting marks on my other unit. The box latches hold what's left over of the number or even close to a latch. The reporting marks are on really smooth surfaces so I can work with them.
 
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