Blue Plastic Tracks

Here are the results of the printed graphic removal on coaches. Was easier than I thought and turned out great like they were never there. Now I am bummed that I had sold so many of these Expo Exclusive coaches in the past.

Very nice Super. The coach does indeed look stock. What tecnique did you use to remove them?

My method was this...

I started with a dish pan full of soapy water. I first used 1500 grit wet emery sandpaper. It is important to use this wet type emery paper and not regular sandpaper as that would cut into the plastic too much. The addition of the soapy water with the emery paper cuts down on the surface tension and only removes the graphic and not any of the plastic. Cut a small piece of the emery paper and keeping it and the plastic wet with the soapy water lightly rub off the graphics until they are all gone. In my first test I used 1000 grit first and followed that up with the 1500 finishing grit but the graphics came off just as easily with just the 1500 and thus cut out a step. Then clean up coach in the soapy water, rinse and dry off with a towel.

Now here is the most important part... After using the emery paper the plastic will have a dull, flat finish to it where you removed the graphic even though 1500 grit was used. Because of this the area stands out from the rest of the coach and needs to be addressed. The solution is polishing compounds. What I used is the Novus products show in the picture below. Using an old small micro cloth that one uses to clean their reading glasses with I first rubbed on the Heavy Scratch Remover polish, cleaned in the soapy water rinsed, dried and repeated this with the Fine Scratch Remover and polished it to a glossy plastic finish which matches the rest of the coach. A dip in the soapy bath brushing off any residue left from the polish and waa la, a perfect finish. Took maybe 10 or 15 minutes for each coach.

Wow.. very cool. Thanks for the tips. I had used the wet sand paper at one point but did not know of the soap trick, which makes sense. I will need to try some of this on a few customs I want to do it I ever get around to it..

This should be cleaning up quite a few Flying Scottsmen very soon!!

Thanks for the information Super! I have a coal drag I've been building as the cars become available and I was trying to think of a way to remove the Sodor Mining logos from the cars that have them.

I am slightly disappointed however to hear that you previously sold a bunch of expo coaches. Even though they're kinda goofy, I've always liked them and would've bought some if I had been actively buying Plarail stuff at the time.

You probably wouldn't have noticed the ones I had sold OTR as I didn't sell them individually but just included them in large Lots of Rolling Stock I listed on Ebay. I do remember selling several of the red ones with the sticker graphics removed though but the other colored ones that came in bulk purchases from Japan I just sold in the Lots because, at the time, I had no interest in them.