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babuff
Little Six
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 Posted - October 08 2013 : 12:36:49 PM
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I need help from someone who is good at mixing paint to match colors. I just got an ATHEARN ALCO PA 1 a+b in their ERIE LACKAWANA scheme from the 1970's for $20. Mechanically it runs perfect , just needs lights and couplers. The body, however, is pretty scratched up but repairable. The EL grey that is available obviosly does not come near any type of match and as for the maroon I haven't done any comparison yet. Anyone have a formula, either by weight or percent, to get as close to an exact match? Is there a close substitute color I can doctor? This thing has a greenish tint to it.
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Posted - October 09 2013 : 8:21:55 PM
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I have had o.k. success with matching paint colors.
I have a Model Railraod Paint Mixing Guide on CD. It's Alpine Software, and if I can ever get it to load, I"m sure EL paint mix is on it.
I have used it in the past, don't know why it won't cooperate now.
Or you can just go by trial and error. For gray: start with some black and a little white and start experimenting.
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - October 10 2013 : 8:30:05 PM
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Just do it by eye, and and doing it with under daylight fluorescents can help. If I'm doing touchup with a brush, I just mix a little in a bottle cap, going back and forth until it matches, and then blend away. Are the scratches down into the plastic, or just the paint?
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - October 11 2013 : 12:31:36 AM
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I'd have to see the unit and try an do it by eye, and I have to say I'm pretty good as I restore a lot in my shop.....
Got a picture of the unit? Take a picture of the unit(s) under bright light but not "flood" the area with light that it makes everything look brighter or "whiter" then it actually is!
Hope this helps and me, being able to help1 I'm not familiar with the actual "Athearn" colors your looking to match!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid... 
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 11 2013 : 08:42:08 AM
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I got a color matching wheel from a place called Michaels that sells supplies for Arts and Crafts. I don't know how to use it.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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babuff
Little Six
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 1:51:33 PM
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sorry for the delay in getting back to guys, but we had to put our 14 yr. old labrador to sleep. He was suffering from cancer for the last few weeks. He always laid on the floor in my workshop and watched me work and kept the cats from nosing around. he will be missed terribly.
I took your advise and eperimented with color matching (actualy my lady did as she has a better eye for color shades than me) and I was able to redo the nose on th a-unit and touch up on the b-unit side. the pics are the finished results.
now my problen is with the light. when I remove the contact strip that runs across the top of the motor,it burns nice and bright. reconnect the strip and it barely glows. I have cleaned all the contacts, but still get the same results when I run power. any ideas?
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 5:47:24 PM
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Nice touch-up work. I can't even tell there were any scratches. I've always liked the EL scheme, partly because I grew up with it. Interesting to see that the A and B units are slightly different shades of gray.
As for the bulb, make sure the bronze contact is bent roughly into a C and resting on the upper truck contact, not the steel strip itself.
Sorry to hear about your lab. That's always a rough decision, but you can't let them suffer. 
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 7:26:01 PM
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quote: when I remove the contact strip that runs across the top of the motor,it burns nice and bright. reconnect the strip and it barely glows. I have cleaned all the contacts, but still get the same results when I run power. any ideas?
Originally posted by babuff - October 17 2013 : 1:51:33 PM
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Does the motor run okay when the light is barely lit? It sounds like something else is eating up all the amperage (e.g. a partial short or a big load on the motor, etc.). I know that when you got it, it ran well, but things can get bumped and jammed over time.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 7:49:58 PM
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| Looks like pretty fine paint work to me. Nice looking set.
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babuff
Little Six
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Posted - October 18 2013 : 1:37:52 PM
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I have checked the contacts and there is no obvious shorts. the unit still runs smooth and quiet and has plenty of pulling power. It is the original motor and I am wondering if the brushes may need to be replaced? I was thinking of putting a constant lighting kit from UTAH PACIFIC that I have on the shelf. I thas a capacitor in it and I wanted to add in a light for the cab and body instead of just the headlight. the problem is what kind of effect this setup would have on the motor if it is drawing so much now. I have added the diagram so you can see which model I am working with(1970)
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Posted - October 18 2013 : 3:41:43 PM
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Leo,
WELL, it still runs? and all? No "running" issues? I would NOT fix, whats not broken, allow it to fail as Athearn locos are known to run a LONG time with nothing more then a shot of oil every now and again, specially from back in the day, as your PA unit is......I've got a GP-7/9 that's from the days of NO flywheels, AND a metal clip that holds the truck together inside the shell, and it runs as tho it was brand new. WELL this isn't a surprise, BUT what it is, the place the brushes wipe across on the motor, that little tubular copper section of the motor, has GROVES worn into it!!!! AND it STILL runs!!!! This one:
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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