Train Decals

[garethjellis]

I am considering contracting a sign writing company to cut high quality vinyl decals, for example the British rail logo. This is mainly for my personal rolling stock but if you (the community) needs some others let me know what size, colours and types. I can add them to the job.

Or, do you folks already have a great source for these?

[v6TransAM]

I think it would be cheaper to go to a hobby shop and go thru some catalogs.

Tons of decals available for everything on both sides of the pond. Rather large model railroader base here and in England.

Would be cheaper than cutting them out from vinyl.

[Daiman]

You may want to look into sites like red bubble where you create an account, design / upload your items, in this case stickers and then order the item.

Most of these sites are surprisingly rapid in their turnover and of a very high standard.

http://www.redbubble...ef=home_leftnav

Edited April 7, 2014 by Daiman

[Dan-147]

I work for a sign-making company, so...

Actually, I've prepared decal sets for my train MOCs but I haven't got around to getting them done yet. If anyone is interested, I could have more done and mailed out.

Dan-147

[Lazarus]

Have a look at these, this was my plan.

I see a lot of people using OO scale decals for US locos.

http://www.replicarailways.co.uk/transfers/oo-gauge

I was going to use these for my trains and rolling stock.

[Aaron]

What I really need are a bunch of decals that measure 1 brick high and 24 studs long that say "Santa Fe" and pairs of smaller two plate high nameplates with the names 3430, Isleta, Laguna, Acoma, Cochiti, Oraibi, Taos, and Navajo. Then, of course, two of the sleepers have smaller "Santa Fe" nameplates on either side. The diesel A and B units need some rather complex decals--the dimensions of which I haven't worked out yet--but I'll worry about that later. This is probably the best reference I have:

Edited April 8, 2014 by Aaron

[Barduck]

since you're from the states I'd suggest taking a look here: http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=OSCALE

I selected O-scale because it's probably closest to LEGO-scale, you can offcourse browse thru the HO-scale ones too but my guess is those will be slightly small

[JopieK]

We can also help out with decals (see below), but it is quite busy at the moment.

Scaling Santa Fe will be quite easy for us though ;)

[legoboy3998]

I just print my own. I use Papilio Inkjet Glossy Photo Film, It seems to be pretty close to What LEGO uses. Than, I just create the decals using MS Word. If you are doing just text, that is really simple.

Sal

WFB, WI.

[Aaron]

I just print my own. I use Papilio Inkjet Glossy Photo Film, It seems to be pretty close to What LEGO uses. Than, I just create the decals using MS Word. If you are doing just text, that is really simple.

Sal

WFB, WI.

That's probably what I'll end up doing. Thanks for the suggestion.

[zephyr1934]

I am considering contracting a sign writing company to cut high quality vinyl decals, for example the British rail logo. This is mainly for my personal rolling stock but if you (the community) needs some others let me know what size, colours and types. I can add them to the job.

Jumping back to the original question, are you cutting the stickers or printing them? In either case, keep us posted on the progress.

I've been looking for a good option to print on transparent stickers so that I can get white/red/yellow on darker colors.

[JopieK]

printing white on transparent is very difficult, our machine can do it, but even then I often must print two layers. printing on white is often a better idea on darker backgrounds. Of course for the old 77xx series we do often print white on transparent and it works very well, but I'm still not totally satisfied with colors on transparent vinyl and a white base layer, one white base layer will sometimes not be enough to make it opaque enough and two layers will make the otherwise vibrant top colors to matte.

We have this machine b.t.w.:

[MusicaRibelle]

Thanks all for the info, it's a very informative thread!

[zephyr1934]

we do often print white on transparent and it works very well, but I'm still not totally satisfied with colors on transparent vinyl and a white base layer, one white base layer will sometimes not be enough to make it opaque enough and two layers will make the otherwise vibrant top colors to matte.

Oh, I wouldn't care if the top colors are matte, the biggest thing I need is white anyway. BTW, I must say that that is a slick machine, so it cuts the stickers out too?

[JopieK]

It actually shows the cutting in the video, as well as the printing. The black unit is the cutter, the aluminum unit has the actual printing head. Of course it is slick (that is why it is so costly ;))

[BlueSpaceman]

I would like to see replacement decals for the classic trains like 7722 and 7715 and the like. And I know this is way off topic, but someday I would like to see replacement decals/stickers with the Classic Space logo.

[RedSpaceman1978]

Actually, you could probably find some on Ebay or something.

[JopieK]

We have both although the Classic Space logo's are not on our site at the moment :) (torso's with metallic / white / red on transparent material), we carry the whole 77xx series.

[Aaron]

Since I'm in need of a new printer anyway, what would be a decent personal printer for making LEGO decals?

[legoboy3998]

Since I'm in need of a new printer anyway, what would be a decent personal printer for making LEGO decals?

I just use a basic HP 3-in-1 Ink-Jet printer from Office Depot for about US$100. It works great once you get the color matching worked out. I use MS paint for images and MS WORD for words and sizing of all decals than print.

Here is a sample of the new decal paper and my HP printer.

[dr_spock]

I know someone who found a 2ft vinyl printer on Kijii for $240 CAD.