Model Railroading > Lighted Number Boards

Hello all,
I am renumbering my Auscision Models AN Class locomotive from AN 9 to AN 11. I have decals for the carbody, but I am not able to find any suitable decals to rework the lightable number boards. Looking for suggestions to reowk the lightable number boards.

Also looks I need a new airhorn!
 

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Dont know about the horn, but with a stady hand and the tip of an exacto, you could scarpe the bottom loop of the nine up to make an eight, and do same to realigned the middle part and retouch with paint, you will not find any decals that allows lights thru but look that opaque when not lighted.

Microscale Decals sheet MC-4067 has white lettering 2011 to go on your black background (minus the 20)

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

http://www.shellscale.com/numberboard%20page.htm

Shellscale won't work, it says right on their pages "Not suitable for lighting".
I needed to make new size numberboards and new size numbers for engines I have custom
painted and sell.  You may be able to do this yourself or find a computer guy who knows how to
do this.  Note: printing white numbers on a black background does not allow number boards to be
illuminated.  So you or friend look through you computers programs  to find a suitable program
that prints out  wording in your choice of style and size. Corel Draw is one such program.  
After you've found the right size and style of numbers , reverse print them, that is
print the right reading  black background with clear numbers.  Print this on a heavy 60 lb white paper. You now
have a numberboard that you can illuminate.  I assume that engine has clear plastic over the numbers,
remove those and use one to trace the outline onto the backside of your new printed numbers while
the sheet is taped down to the lightboard. Cut them out, place on the
engine and place clear covering over it.  You now have lighted number boards. There are numerous variations on
this idea. You can go to a copy shop and have the sheet laminated with 3 mil clear film, this will be your complete
numberboard including front  "glass".  Cut to size and insert  in space.  Obviously, you're going to print multiple  numberboards
on the sheet as you're bound to mess some up in process.  And to minimize show through on the black background, before you
trim them to actual size, place the sheet on a lightboard image down  (piece of glass with light bulb underneath) and using a very fine nylon tip
marker darken the black areas, taking care to not go into the clear areas.  This will prevent light from shining through the dark background
areas.  If you choose to go this route and you have questions, send me a PM.

Good Luck.
Frank30
 


 

Shellscale has several NEW sets setup for lighting.  

ShellScale Decals number board style HO105 - 8" white numbers and black boards. This set is primarily for EMD and GE locomotives. This set is suitable for lighting. Each set will letter several locomotives.

I have had good luck simply printing them on a laser printer on regular paper at high resolution.  Black background with white lettering etc.  After I cut and place them, I put a thin layer of Testors clear parts cement it to affix it and give it the glass appearance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/21 19:36 by mpe383.

I've used Microscales clear numbers on a black background to do a couple of locomotives now. The set I used was 87-25 Burlington Northern Diesels (1970 -1990) but I think there are other sets with similar numbers.  I applied then to a strip of .005" styrene which helps to diffuse the light a bit and make them look more prototypical.

- Chris

Christopher Slemp
South Hadley, MA
Milepost 15

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