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Detailing the Kato Station and Platforms


gavino200

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I quite enjoyed working on the platform decals. A year ago I wouldn't have bothered. But I made a choice a while ago to stop being in a rush, and to just enjoy the modeling. I don't have enough striped decals to do all the columns, so I just did the side facing front on both platforms. I'll do the other side if I ever acquire more decals.

 

There are still a couple of places on the platforms that I don't seem to have decals for. There's a flat plate on the inside of the columns at each end of the platform that have not size matched decal. Also, there are some decals, like the tiny public phone that don't seem to have anywhere to go. They'd look sort of retro now anyway, I guess.

 

I'm going to put up more of those hang-down signs and signals also, but first I'm going to paint them. If I were to start this again, I'd probably paint the columns. But they don't look bad in the stock yellow plastic color. 

 

I dull coated the platform fronts and roofs, also. They look much better with the sheen taken off. 

 

Two of the six are lit, and the light harnesses are ready for the other four. Next up, light installation and reassembly.

 

 

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I think I solved another little mystery. I always wondered what these things (below) were. I think they're public telephones. The telephone decal fits exactly on the flat surface. I don't think I'll bother with these as public phones are essentially obsolete now. 

 

hxar9tK.jpg?1

 

RKWAfQL.jpg

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I was inspired by @VJM to add these details. I've always been too lazy (scared) to try these before. But they look amazing on vj's platform so I thought I'd give them a try. The decals are much easier to place on the part while it's still on the sprue.

 

3el1yEg.jpg

Edited by gavino200
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This detail is almost completely pointless. I don't think it'll be visible at all with the platforms in place on the layout. But it's always bugged me when I look at the Kato signal lights and there's nothing in there.

 

1BHBScn.jpg

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I'm almost finished with the platform details. I'm not sure about these orange seats. I think alternating orange and yellow might look better. But I've committed to these. I'm waiting for a layer of gloss to cure before I place them on the platform. I'm a little concerned that they'll be overpowering. We'll see,

 

yafEeF4.jpg

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I realize I'm going down a rabbit hole of obsessiveness here. But a pet peeve of mine is that Kato decals are too translucent. If placed on the beige plastic they're ok. But if placed on the silver or dark grey plastic, there is a lot of shine through. The whites look grey etc. It really helps if the surface is painted white before placing the stickers. You can see there that it's hard to get a smooth coat. The paint dries as I carefully make my way around, trying to stay within the lines. 

 

Either masking and airbrushing, or using a paint retardant would probably help. In any case if any white paint shows, it can be scraped away or, drawn over with a felt pen to disguise it. 

 

tpqu9Le.jpg

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1 hour ago, ecfitzgerald said:

Are they stickers or wet transfer?  I am probably do a bunch of these tomorrow, and I haven't done wet transfer decals in 35 years.

 

They're stickers. What works best for me is to use a good pair of scissors. An exacto blade tends to cause the stickers to separate too early making it difficult to cut straight. I'd also recommend some form of magnification for the small ones.

 

Also, for the last cut of the small stickers, it helps to hold the sticker with forceps (tweezers) while you cut.

Edited by gavino200
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One more mystery. I think this is a sign showing four trains. In the circles are a head-on view of a train. I'm not sure about that, but that's what I think. The one on the top left looks a bit like an E7 even though these stations predate the train. 

 

WqDqP7m.jpg

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Detailing the platforms is finished for now. They're back downstairs on the layout. Most of the detailing was fairly pointless, but I enjoyed it and I like just knowing the details are there. 

 

I'm going to wait for a while before tackling the station so I'll can see it fresh again. I need to look for pictures of modified station buildings for inspiration. The biggest question will be whether to paint the red roof of the building. It looks ok, but somehow a bit off.

 

2bMYwTb.jpg

 

 

tPfW6Nj.jpg

Edited by gavino200
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13 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

One more mystery. I think this is a sign showing four trains. In the circles are a head-on view of a train. I'm not sure about that, but that's what I think. The one on the top left looks a bit like an E7 even though these stations predate the train. 

 

WqDqP7m.jpg

 

 

This is a WAG but I think the end things (that look like pipe organ pipes) are trash or recycling receptacles.  I think the poster is showing different things you can put in them and has nothing to do with trains.  Again, just a WAG.

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14 hours ago, gavino200 said:

Detailing the platforms is finished for now. They're back downstairs on the layout. Most of the detailing was fairly pointless, but I enjoyed it and I like just knowing the details are there. 

 

I'm going to wait for a while before tackling the station so I'll can see it fresh again. I need to look for pictures of modified station buildings for inspiration. The biggest question will be whether to paint the red roof of the building. It looks ok, but somehow a bit off.

 

2bMYwTb.jpg

 

 

tPfW6Nj.jpg

 

Where did you get the Lights?

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2 hours ago, warnerj01 said:

 

Where did you get the Lights?

 

Jerry, do you mean the lights on the covered platform, or the lampposts on the uncovered end platform? 

 

Each covered platform has three LEDs soldered onto magnet wire and glued to the underside of the platform roof. It's covered in detail in the thread linked below. 

 

Kato now make a special kit for doing this. Also discussed in the same thread, on the final page.

 

The lampposts  are something I got a year or two ago. If you're interested, I can dig around and find out where I bought them. Actually, I think they were suggested to me and discussed in the same thread. 

 

If you don't find what you're looking for in the thread below, or if you have any further questions, let me know and I'll find you an answer.

 

Edited by gavino200
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1 hour ago, warnerj01 said:

Sorry for not being more specific. I'm interested in the Lamp posts

 

No bother. I'll track down where I got them.

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