Car numbers

[shadowtiger25]

Japanese HO spoiled me on letting me choose individual numbers on every car.

Now that I'm expanding into N, I've come to recognize that most cars have the same numbers in the same model. What would be the best way to make it to where each car has a unique number? Or would I really even knotice at speed?

[railsquid]

For passenger cars it's easy, just buy from Tomix, they usually come without a pre-printed number and a selection of transfers.

 

Assuming you mean freight cars, you might be able to find 3rd party transfers; there are certainly plenty enough for passenger units, though I've never cared enough to look for freight ones.

[disturbman]

For freight, the easy way around is to buy sets rather than singles and doubles.

[Beaver]

Revolution Factory are the go-to source for JNR and JR rolling stock numbers, markings etc. Goods, passenger, locos, MUs all covered.

 

https://1999.co.jp/eng/list/2281/6/1?Make=RLF+(Revolution+Factory)&sold=1

 

As with most Japanese transfers, these are rub-down, so you will need an empty ballpoint pen or the like to do the rubbing with.

 

Of course, the old number will need removing first. Since markings on Japanese RTR models are usually tampo printed, they can be removed with little or no damage to the paint by rubbing them off gently with an ordinary eraser. Rubbing too hard will remove some paint but if that is where the number is to go then you probably won't notice after the renumbering is done.

 

After adding the new number it's probably a good idea to seal it with a waft of matt varnish to help prevent it getting worn off by handling.

[shadowtiger25]

2 hours ago, Beaver said:

Revolution Factory are the go-to source for JNR and JR rolling stock numbers, markings etc. Goods, passenger, locos, MUs all covered.

 

https://1999.co.jp/eng/list/2281/6/1?Make=RLF+(Revolution+Factory)&sold=1

 

As with most Japanese transfers, these are rub-down, so you will need an empty ballpoint pen or the like to do the rubbing with.

 

Of course, the old number will need removing first. Since markings on Japanese RTR models are usually tampo printed, they can be removed with little or no damage to the paint by rubbing them off gently with an ordinary eraser. Rubbing too hard will remove some paint but if that is where the number is to go then you probably won't notice after the renumbering is done.

 

After adding the new number it's probably a good idea to seal it with a waft of matt varnish to help prevent it getting worn off by handling.

From all the rub ons I've done for HO I have found the best thing for doing them.

An old Nintendo DS stylis. I think from the lite series. The plastic tip on it is soft enough to not scratch paint, and the rounded shape tends to get the transfers to go on really well.

I'll have to look in to these decals soon and hope that what I'm looking for is available.

I do plan on lightly weathering many cars so a sealing coat is no big deal.

[shadowtiger25]

4 hours ago, disturbman said:

For freight, the easy way around is to buy sets rather than singles and doubles.

Yes, but somethings seem to not come in sets or the sets have extra stuff I wouldn't use.

That being said I am trying to get 3 sets of the Kato Seki 3000s. But with something like that repeated numbers may be harder to notice 

[Cat]

You're not likely to notice, but if it brings you joy — you can lightly scrape out some of the numbers on each car and repaint them, then give a light weathering to blend them in.  Or just weather over the numbers so you can tell they are still there but not fully readable.

[Nick_Burman]

Another source is Geomatrix Designs, they seem to be stocked at Hobby Search.

 

 

Renumbering Tomix WaMu80000 boxcars. Note how the transfer has a brown background, so it's just a question of rubbing it in place.

 

Cheers

[shadowtiger25]

9 hours ago, Nick_Burman said:

Another source is Geomatrix Designs, they seem to be stocked at Hobby Search.

 

 

Renumbering Tomix WaMu80000 boxcars. Note how the transfer has a brown background, so it's just a question of rubbing it in place.

 

Cheers

I looked and I didn't see anything from freight cars on the green max decails

[Nick_Burman]

6 hours ago, shadowtiger25 said:

I looked and I didn't see anything from freight cars on the green max decails

 

Green Max doesn't make freight car transfers. At best you can try and find a set with a typeface which matches the freight car ones.

 

The transfers in the film are by Geomatrix. Alas out of stock at Hobbu Search: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10210088

 

Cheers NB

[shadowtiger25]

3 hours ago, Nick_Burman said:

 

Green Max doesn't make freight car transfers. At best you can try and find a set with a typeface which matches the freight car ones.

 

The transfers in the film are by Geomatrix. Alas out of stock at Hobbu Search: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10210088

 

Cheers NB

Oh! I was confused then. But darn, oh well...

Yeah I'll have to see if I can find that type face..

[chadbag]

On 2/7/2023 at 3:27 AM, Beaver said:

As with most Japanese transfers, these are rub-down, so you will need an empty ballpoint pen or the like to do the rubbing with.

 

I've always used the cap from a pen...

 

I've never worried about car numbers.  Trains running around the track -- don't notice the numbers in any case.  My personal take.  I'm not a scale or rivet counter type of guy.  Just want the feel and emotion al response.

 

[shadowtiger25]

42 minutes ago, chadbag said:

 

I've always used the cap from a pen...

 

I've never worried about car numbers.  Trains running around the track -- don't notice the numbers in any case.  My personal take.  I'm not a scale or rivet counter type of guy.  Just want the feel and emotion al response.

 

I'm not really a rivet counter either but car numbers are one of the things my eyes snap to as a car is passing for some reason. Maybe it's just the contrast? 

Only reason I really care is seeing the same number across 6 cars in a row bothers me for some reason 

[cteno4]

Inexpensive burnishers (round end tool to rubbing transfers and such down) can be found as nail “dotting” tools. Very handy and different sized ends helps with big and small transfers. I use the also to push little parts together where a sharper plier end might gouge.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112362023209?hash=item1a294c6929:g:9XUAAOSwEK9UGp7Y&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoIE6rkN8Z%2F6Yzaw%2FFgJYMQEO78x0C%2BiQBPokzUbnvf4ZGKNd37OZcGJq1nbxWDIL8xF6hN%2BMGUz1OsHvs4qf1OQT0oXMfKiVLlOExORECsxZw91grh5RN9uoNSdm26Q%2FX3YaPCm84lxfHKKwxcMWoHlegouy%2FlN1839tlWDABd65UC4QraoVghZPKF1JLPO7awG3rpAs83ImjsmqV3JIT40%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4z0-6LGYQ

 

He how often do you get a set of 5 tools for a buck fifty! I’ve seen them in the dollar stores as well. They do the job very well.

 

there are also some blunt end dental probes for packing cement filler that are similar.

 

https://jnsforum.com/community/topic/18681-burnishers-or-dotting-tools-in-the-nail-trade/#comment-231792

 

cheers

 

jeff

[MeTheSwede]

On 2/7/2023 at 4:11 AM, shadowtiger25 said:

Japanese HO spoiled me on letting me choose individual numbers on every car.

Now that I'm expanding into N, I've come to recognize that most cars have the same numbers in the same model. What would be the best way to make it to where each car has a unique number? Or would I really even knotice at speed?

 

Personally I have to concentrate quite hard to be able to read the numbers from stationary cars.