Early stages of planning

[scottmsr62]

Just starting the plans for my layout. I plan on designing my own logo what are some easy to use design programs? Also I will need to make my own decals what is a good printer for this? Where would I get sheets for decals. I have also thought about making stencils for my rolling stock. This seems it would be what real railroads would do. Has anyone done this? If so what supplies and tools would I need

 

[migalyto]

Welcome to the group scott.

Sorry, I cant help you on making and designing your own decals. Hopefully some of our more knowledgeable members on this subject will come along shortly and help you.

 

[dave1905]

Generally people use either an inkjet or laser printer, I think you have to get paper compatible with the type of printer. The biggest obstacle with homemade decals is that you can't get white lettering, well you can get a special white laser printer cartridge, but don't know if it requires a special printer. Most rolling stock lettering is white. The alternative is to get white decal paper and print a block of the car color around the lettering.

If you use an ink jet printer you have to seal the decal sheet before you apply them or soaking the decal sheet will wash off the ink jet ink.

I have my own decals made commercially by Bill Brillinger (www.pdc.ca) and don't try and print them myself. Other people have used Circus City.

Using stencils would be VERY tough to do on such small lettering. Even large lettering on a car is very small. I have done some large logos or lettering by painting the lettering color then applying "stick on" lettering, painting the engine or car color over the lettering then peeling off the stick on lettering. I works OK on lettering over about 3/8" of an inch high.

Generally, I use MS PowerPoint to do my lettering and then save it as a pdf to submit. Others use Gimp or Adobe Illustrator.

 

[Rico]

Bill does a great job on everything!

 

[C&OMtnMan]

If it is not poor form to suggest another forum, I would like to recommend Trainboard.com, specifically the N scale section, where there is an active thread from an N scale modeler, making NASCAR Transporters and trucks for display on his layout, and decals are a component of that discussion. There is also a thread by the same member, of a now-completed NASCAR hauler, and has greater discussion of decals, as decaling is a step near the end of a project.

As I recall, he used a color LaserJet with decal paper.

One learning I can recommend from that is: paper color needs to be wisely selected based on decal color: A lot of railroading lettering and logos are plain white. Printing that up on white decal paper (unless your decal has a contrasting background) will make for a difficult time in cutting the decal.