Continuing the previous post in this series where I was focusing on the mechanical upgrades. This time I'm breaking open the MicroScale 87-1243 Santa Fe Shadowline decal sets.
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| In this post, I bring Santa Fe 1458's decalling completion! (at least on the left side) |
I did take a practice run applying my first Shadowline decals on my other Shadowlined car, SFE 1524, which is a Dorm-Lounge which was converted out of a HW Chair car.
Now I've selected to model my diner as the SFE 1458, as it appeared in San Diego in 1948. This will avoid the option to paint the roof black, per the June 1949 change that the Santa Fe started for the later portion of the period that the Shadowlined cars remained in this scheme, which was well on the way out by June 1952. Part of this is because I want to try modeling the very signature weathering of the silver roof by the car washers used by the Santa Fe, but also their inability to clean the roofs of these cars with their automated washing rollers.
The unfortunate part is that the SFE 1458 prototype photo at San Diego in 1948 seems to show the denser or heavier shadowlines both below and above the windows. Thus I'll need to order another 87-1243 set to finish the right side... but that's details for later, let's get into how I found the Shadowline decals go onto this Rivarossi Diner.
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| SFE 1458 San Diego 1948 - Stan Kistler collection, published by Colin Kikawa in 4th Q, 2011 Warbonnet. |
Now I've selected to model my diner as the SFE 1458, as it appeared in San Diego in 1948. This will avoid the option to paint the roof black, per the June 1949 change that the Santa Fe started for the later portion of the period that the Shadowlined cars remained in this scheme, which was well on the way out by June 1952. Part of this is because I want to try modeling the very signature weathering of the silver roof by the car washers used by the Santa Fe, but also their inability to clean the roofs of these cars with their automated washing rollers.
The unfortunate part is that the SFE 1458 prototype photo at San Diego in 1948 seems to show the denser or heavier shadowlines both below and above the windows. Thus I'll need to order another 87-1243 set to finish the right side... but that's details for later, let's get into how I found the Shadowline decals go onto this Rivarossi Diner.
Decaling Application Order
I found that the best way to apply the Shadowline decals is to start at the ends and work towards the middle of the car. Finding convenient breaks in the carbody allows the decal joints to be made cleanly, namely the lower body panel joints in the HW cars is a good place.
Then the full height stripe strips end for the letterboard or the name/number "plate" to be simulated on the prototype car, also end the full height stripe decal. Get both left and right ends of the carside to this point, then choose which side (top/bottom) you want to do next. Align the thinner height of stripe decal across the letter/name/number "plate" area and connect with the other full height section from the other end of the car.
Decaling Notes:
Once a good straight narrow stripe set (usually 1-2 stripes) is in place, the letterboard "SANTA FE" or car number/name can be placed. Then place the remaining narrow stripes to complete the stripe set for the upper or lower stripes. This seems to be the easiest and fastest way to decal the car that I've found working on the SFE 1524, as my test car, before decalling the Rivarossi Diner SFE 1458.
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| SFE 1458's starting point with Tamyia Gloss Aluminum. |
Decaling Notes:
23.5ft Letterboard
80ft overall
11.75ft off center
11.75ft off center
40ft - 11.75 = 28.25ft end of letterboard stripes each side
Letterboard "SANTA FE" 29ft from each end.
I made marks with my mechanical pencil on the lower edges of the roof to help center up the letterboard decal ends to create the blank space for the "SANTA FE" decal.
Letterboard "SANTA FE" 29ft from each end.
I made marks with my mechanical pencil on the lower edges of the roof to help center up the letterboard decal ends to create the blank space for the "SANTA FE" decal.
Once a good straight narrow stripe set (usually 1-2 stripes) is in place, the letterboard "SANTA FE" or car number/name can be placed. Then place the remaining narrow stripes to complete the stripe set for the upper or lower stripes. This seems to be the easiest and fastest way to decal the car that I've found working on the SFE 1524, as my test car, before decalling the Rivarossi Diner SFE 1458.
Right Side Decals
I started on the right side of the car, assuming the kitchen is forward in the direction of travel.
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| Aisle lower stripes ready to apply, checking length. |
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| I accidentally applied the "Upper" decals to the letterboard... |
So one of the oddities of the SFE 1458 San Diego 1948 photo shows is that the car seems to have used the "Lower" strip standard both above and below the windows. I accidentally grapped a piece of MicroScale's "Upper" stripes and let them dry between the end of the letterboard and the door. Oops. I was able to soften them and rub them off... but I also took some Aluminum paint off the details in that section of the letterboard. So I had to mask and reshoot the Gloss Aluminum paint on that section.
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| MicroSol is applied while the decals are still wet, to help pull the setting fluid under the large decal area. |
Normally, MircoSol is applied later and often punctures in the decal is used to allow the fluid to get under the decal. The shadowstriping decals is easily torn and then messed up if this method is used. Therefore, I've got with my method of applying the fluid while the decal is still damp or wet, which allows the fluid to get under all the rivet areas, and some light persuasion is used to encourage the air bubbles around the rivets to move out from under the decal sheet.
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| The shadowline decals are set to end over the rivet splice plate. |
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| Another view of the shadowline decals over the rivet splice plate. |
The main points that the MicroSol is needed is along the bottom edge, the belt-rivet line, and the vertical rivet rows at the end of every window. The rivet splice plate's rows actually weren't much trouble to get to settle down around the rivets and the panel edges.
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| The lower left end of the carside, below the dining section. |
As on the SFE 1524, my current process of starting at the ends and working towards the middle continues.
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| Overview of side with lower end strips applied. |
Here's the overview of how the car's looking at this point.
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| Lower right aisle stripes applied |
The stripes are settled down and happy.
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| Right end letterboard applied. |
I decided on this car to split the letterboard decal stripes into an upper set of 4-stripes and a "window-band" set of 3-stripes, so that I don't have to deal with the trapped air around the lower edge of the letterboard and the rivets on the upper window-band. Notice that I stopped this set of stripes at the right edge of the door cut into the letterboard.
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I then added the 2-stripe section over the doorway in the letterboard. Then application of the stripes from the door towards the center of the car continued. Unfortunately, it was a little short of the goal of reaching the first pencil mark on the roof.
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| The letterboard "SANTA FE" applied. |
This means that I need to apply another patch of 3 or 4 stripe decal to bridge the distance to the pencil mark. The "SANTA FE" is then applied. Unfortunately, at this point I've run out of "Lower" heavy style strips from my first two sets (I had a mistake earlier which destroyed some stripes on the 1524.... so I'm short now, plus needing all "Lower" decals to do the 1458.) So I'll use a few of the bits to finish what I can.
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| Lower carside's number plate's upper and lower 3-stripe strips applied. |
I have enough bits of the heavy stripes to make the 3-strip pieces for above and below the number 'plate' on the car's right side.
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| Car number applied |
And of course, I added the car number, completing the lower carside.
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| Right side Shadowlines as it stands waiting for the arrival of the 3rd set of Shadowline decals to complete the car. |
I'll either edit this blog post when I get the decals or I'll put the completion of the right side shadowlines in the next part of this series of posts.
Left Side Decals
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| Decals coming together on the carside, I decided to apply the upper stripes in two strips. |
I used 4-stripe decals to form the letterboard. Another 3-strip decal is used to form the extension of the upper letterboard strips down onto the window panels around the kitchen windows and the door.
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| The strips continue across the plated-over transom windows. |
The slightly rougher edges around the transom window covers makes this a bit more challenging, but not impossible by any means. It just requires a bit more care.
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| Lower side strips continue inboard of the vertical splice plates. |
The scratch built splice plates that I added break up the car side and make a nice place for my decals to stop and easily start again. In the picture above, the decal stripes have stopped on each side of the center panel. This makes more accurate measurements for the next two inboard stripe decals easier to work out. I'm going only from the vertical rivet splice plate to the vertical rivet row to the left of the center window.
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| Lower full height stripes end at the rivet strips to form lower "Plate" for car number. |
Next I measure and cut the right inboard set of stripes to match. these are naturally longer, as to the right in this photo, there is no door to push the left side panels toward the center of the carside. The mark on the roof shows the 40ft centerline of the car's body.
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| The upper decals now start working in over the Kitchen windows. |
I'm hopping around the carside applying these decals, which allows time for them to set and have Micro-Sol applied to help them snug down over the rivets. Note: I'm applying my first brush of Micro-Sol before the decals have dried, this helps get the fluid under the decal and start pulling it down over the rivets sooner. Some times it still takes 4-6 applications to really get all of these large decals to properly snug down over the rivets.
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| The Letterboard "SANTA FE" placed. |
The larger prepared space in the upper letterboard has the "SANTA FE" applied based on my previous car center marks and offset marks to show where the end of the lettering should be.
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| The 'plate' formed by 3-stripe decals above and below, matching full height stripe decals. |
Now for the detail work, the lower center blank area needs to be connected at the top and bottom 3-lines with two pieces of short decal. To me, this looks harder than it is, but a good steady hand, good lighting, and a good eye are required. Basically don't do this on a day you're stressed out, already have eye strain, or on a day you've had too much caffine!
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| Car number placed centered on the lower 'plate'. |
The hole in the stripes made, the car number is now applied. I suppose I could have let the number plate be narrower, but I kinda like this larger look, as the prototype car photo shows this blank area basically the full width of the window and 3-stripes tall, as I've applied it here.
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| Decal touch up between the door and Kitchen window. |
The end of car lower stripe decals are in place now, along with all the stripes below the letterboard. After this photo, I did add another very short section of 3-stripe just to the left of the Kitchen window.
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| Completed left-side Shadowlining! |
I've very pleased with how the shadowlining went on the left side of the car. I'll have to follow up on the completion of the right side when the next set of 87-1243 decals arrive. A coating of Dullcote sealed in the decals. I actually like the look of the Gloss Alumimum when Dullcoted, it makes the car have that slightly weathered look and some slight variations in the luster of the aluminum.
Adjusting Ride Height
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| Kitchen end coupled to the SFE 1524 with 0.030" shims. |
I was still a little unhappy with the ride height of the car... This is with the 0.040" shim height in the bolsters. And why I lowered the car to only two 0.015" shims, for about 0.030" shim height, which seems to be a good balance. I know it can't be perfect, as I kept the Rivarossi channel sidesill on the diner and only added the bottom flange to the side of the existing flat sill of the Rivarossi carbody.
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| Dining end coupled to a Walthers 3060-class chair car with 0.030" shims. |
The roof edges seem to line up pretty well in this configuration, which is the main goal. Now I can work on the Diaphragms and then the coupler position and installation.
Underframe
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| Underframe as it stands 20260512. |
I also wanted to grab a quick photo of the underframe of the 1458. I will probably start plugging off the removed battery boxes and 'air tanks' in preparation to modeling the correct underbody equipment. I went ahead and painted the main underframe parts black. I may apply another coat of dark gray instead.
In Closing
I know this blog post has been VERY LONG. However, I hope this in-depth dive into decaling a second car with Shadowline stripes has been educational and helpful in your own decaling projects.
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| SFE 1524 and SFE 1458 showing them together. |
I believe this catches everyone up to where both cars are at now. Both cars still need underbody detailing and the major rework of the details on their roofs, which will each take a blog post to cover. Looking at this photo, I'm noticing the lack of interiors on the Diner... so I'll just say that will also be on the list for these cars as well, but that can wait for now.
I'm also looking into building a couple other models with complicated paint schemes soon too.
Jason Hill
Related Articles:
Kitbashing SFE 1456-class HW Diner (Part 1) with a Rivarossi Model and Opening Thoughts - My on kitbashing a Rivarossi HW Diner into a Shadowlined Santa Fe diner, circa 1948.
Kitbashing SFE 1456-class HW Diner (Part 2) - More Body Work and Paint - My Part 2 on kitbashing a Rivarossi HW Diner into a Shadowlined Santa Fe diner, circa 1948.
Kitbashing SFE 1456-class HW Diner (Part 3) - Mechanical Upgrades - My Part 3 on kitbashing a Rivarossi HW Diner into a Shadowlined Santa Fe diner, circa 1948.
Kitbashing SFE 1524 (Part 1) - Shadowlining a HW Chair Car - My kitbash of Walthers 3060-class HW Chair car to a Shadowlined Snack-Lounge/Coach car. In Part 1 I am focusing on window changes and decaling the car.
Articles from Other Authors:
SFE 1456-class Diner kitbash by Colin Kikawa, along with multiple other interesting kitbashes - Enjoy!
Tom Casey's ATSF_hwt_Diner.pdf - SFE 1404 Kitbashed Diner