Model Railroading > PRR Brass Steam help

I recently acquired a unpainted brass HO scale PRR S2 & N2sa. I am planning on painting the pair and I have a few questions as I have never painted a brass engine before.

1. Both models have some tarnish on them (especially the tender for the S2...see attached photo), how do you remove the tarnish to prep the model for paint?

2. I know the majority of the S2 is painted in PRR DGLE (Brunswick green), but what is the best color for the gray of the smoke box on the engine.

3. Also on that note did the smoke boxes on the N2sa's also get painted gray or DGLE or was it a mix over the production, depending on the individual engine that I decide to model?

4. Is Microscale decal set "Pennsylvania Railroad Steam Locomotives (1948-1960) Dulux Lettering -- Stock# 87-1166" the best set to represent the S2 and a late N2sa?

Thank you for any help

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That mottled effect is caused by the clear overspray on the model. You need to disassemble it and scrub that stuff off in lacquer thinner, get it down to bare brass. I think many, if not most, brass locomotives were painted gold, also, because the various components (castings, sheet stock etc) in their natural state would be different shades of brass.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/15 14:08 by CPR_4000.

And, if you can not feel anything on the tender (the tarnish) don't worry it will not affect paint or be noticed after painting. After soaking in the laquer thinner be sure and use a brush (wet with the liquid) to scrub the metal. When done run your fingers over it to make sure you got all the clear coat off.

For the smokebox use Scalecoat Graphite and oil, and mix some black in it to suit your taste. New graphite was fairly dark and it lightened up as time went on but could get really filthy on coal burners.

Mild sandblasting will help remove that. As said, most brass models were clearcoated to prevent tarnish. Light sandblasting will remove what's left of clearcoat, clean up your tarnish, and just overall prepare the surface for good paint adhesion. Some past threads on here go into detail.

-Sean

Careful with the sandblasting on large expanses of sheet brass, like the tender sides. It can lead to shot-peening which expands the surface you are blasting and will make the tender look like it's suffering from a series of bee stings.

Baking soda or glass beads would be a better choice, and at not much more that 10-12 psi, keeping the blaster moving all the time; don't hover.

I second the Scalecoat - great paint.