Yes, I am working with Vitacal 'waterslide decals and a 'cheap' ink jet printer. Art from photos........more in progress........very interesting....
Cool! I actually used the very same process to make this trailer.... I made the decals from a photo I found online (with permission from Paul Marshall)... Russ
While not quite as nice I've made my own with Testors decal paper. I used Print Shop Delule to create the graphics. I'm pretty happy with the results.
Russ / John - Nice work ! Russ - I have seen the Pepsi trailer posted before and that gave me some inspiration to 'get on with' some experimentation. I need a better quality printer. What I have done so far, looks good from a short distance away, but under magnification (close up photos)they are not as crisp as a better quality printer would do. Still, I am excited at the possibilities, I have made my own decals for the first time - more about that next week....... TiVo, over at Railwire, had made some Nesquick decals last year, and I obtained a set....here's the result ................ For a Trailer/Intermodal Nutt -This is Funn stuff........... Steven
Great looking trailers. What are you using to fix the decal and what inkjet system are you using... One day this shortline will do it own decals but until then...the old fashioned way..like the signs on buildings...3 foot rule. ...
More of my Suwannee River Midland trailers, Visit Florida graphics ( work in progress- lettering not applied, yet).............. and the logo: Three more to go..............
Can you tell us exactly how you do it, what programs you use to size the photos, what decal paper, decal fixative, etc, on how you've done this?
The trailers look really cool. Please tell us more. I too, would like to know more about how you are doing this. It looks like a great way to brighten up some trailers.
I am using VitaCal INKJET products. You can buy a kit with clear and white decal paper and a can of fixative in one box. I measure and save an outline of the trailer size in microsoft WORD. [45' in my case] This is my templete to use to re-size art. When I find art I want to use to make a trailer, I open a copy of the template and then re-size the art to the template........then delete the templete. Then I save the art in a new WORD file that I will print from. When I have a full page of art, I print at the highest quality that (my cheap) printer can do. I am making the Visit Florida trailers for my freelanced Florida Shortline, the Suwannee River Midland (Old Live Oak, Perry & Gulf area). The SRM in cooperation with local and state Visitors Commisions, will put these into intermodal service to "travel the country and advertise Florida". I have just added the 'VISIT FLORIDA' lettering and SRM initials SO - I am going to send these around to be photographed on 'YA'LL's layouts, as they 'travel around', These first Five are ready to go now. the other three will be next week. There are Eight different schemes, so far. Contact me if you are interested in hosting them ! Steven
Hey Steven. Ya wanna throw one of those trailers up north to canada, i'm sure i could get some shots of it moving along the Niagara River Line Railroad, and in our intermodal yard on our layout. The intermodal yard is much busier now, than what is shown in this photo.
Some Trailer Decal Photos! Very Nice!! I have made a few trailer decals of my own! Texas Trucking with advertisement for the Dallas TRE! Texas Trucking with advertisement for the Alamo in San Antonio! Texas Trucking with Advertisement for the San Antonio SPURS! Texas Trucking with Advertisement for the Houston ASTROS!
Some Trailer Decal Photos II Texas Trucking with Advertisement for the Dallas COWBOYS! The whole Line-up on Alan Curtis 48' Spine cars! Patriot Transport Trucking company! The whole Line-up! These are not "N" scale trailers and spine cars. They are all "Z" scale. The 48' trailers are cast resin from a styrene master. Hobo Tim
Tim, Those are really nice looking trailers. Let us know when you make more decals, an N scale versions would be too cool ! Sic
Thanks, JD. I have five new ALGF shells painted and just about finished, including that SD-35m wide cab unit and a 'Flag' unit. SIC
Hey steven iam building a 16ft intermodal yard and have over 500 tlrs. and cont. Iam working on custom decals of company trucks and trailers that I took pics of over the years as a otr driver. if you would like to send one of yours this way that would be nice, when i get mine done i could send one your way
Neat decals. can this be done in HO also? I found a pack of decal paper , Hobby Cal Item # p7 inkjet water slide Decal Paper 5 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. I want to do buildings but the trailers would really look if I can pull it off.. Thanks for the neat idea. rails99@pacbell.net
