I was lucky enough to obtain three of these Bachmann trailer transporters (or `Flat cars with Closed Trailer` as the label on the box says).
Being three identical ET&WNC cars and trailers, I toyed with the idea of respraying a couple of the trailers and giving them a different freighter ownership. Then, as always, time gets in the way. So I decided that instead of a repaint, I would create some sticky labels with West Coast Freight as the owner and also renumber them, etc.
Here is one as ex-factory - the trailer`s rear door being plain.
Side view ...
Rear ...
Trailer front end ....
I had some large labels (two to an A4 sheet) so they were ideal. I created them using MS Word, WordArt, and MS Drawing. Do one, group all the lettering and picture - the latter taken from a vintage postcard of the bridge over the River Moy in Ballina - then copy and paste until I had six to cover the ET&WNC logo, then copy and paste another to reduce in size for the rear of the trailers. Once at the right size, it was copy and paste until I had three.
A poor pic of the sheet of completed labels ....
Close-ups
Trailer numbers and depot IDs were done the same way - three for each trailer - with a Word Art edit for each batch of three for a numeral change.
Depot IDs were also created in the same way except they are all from the same depot.
Once printed out (I only have inkjet facilities), I needed to fix the water based ink. This was done by several light sprays of clear gloss varnish followed by one dusting of matt varnish.
Left to dry and then placed between two books to maintain a flat sheet, they were awaiting my further attention. As SWMBO usually rings her sister, I got the cutting mat out and cut out enough stickers for the first trailer.
Results; -
Same side as original ....
Rear doors - label scored to represent door edges ...
Front ....
And the opposite side showing the alteration to the car number ...
The varnish does create a slight surface tension because, after having photographed the completed trailer, I noticed a couple of the stickers starting to peel back at a corner. Due diligence will keep that in check (if I remember!)
As MS can be a love - hate thing for many of us, I do find it has some useful bits for me. When you open up Word (mine is as old as 2003!), I select a useful shape in Draw, then stretch it out on the page (I usually make the page size 200% so that I can scroll left and right or up and down against the measurent bars.
Once the desired shape (which is your billboard or sign sticker) is sized, you select a fill colour. Then if you want an edge to it (I usually use black because I can use a black felt tip pen to cover the white paper edge) you can select the line thickness to give a thinner or wider edge. If you dont want an edge showing, just change the line colour to the same as the fill.
The object or shape can be brought `in front of text` by a right click and a drop down menu. Every time you add text or picture/s, always make sure that they are brought to the same order of position as the background shape. Failure to this will mean you could lose some of your added artwork when Grouping all the objects together.
Grouping allows the completed article to be moved around the page, to be copied, expanded or resized (larger or smaller). To group, you right click on the main object, select Grouping, hold down the keyboard shift button, and click on each added text or picture until they are all included.
Word Art is like a shape - just select a pre-determined format (lettering shapes) and then it opens up to allow you to compose your wording. To change Fonts, there is a drop down menu. Once satisfied with your text, its one click to place it on your page. You then drag it where you want it and resize by the usual click on and drag method. Letters can be filled same as the shape. Outline colour is changed as a Line as is the thickness also.
Pictures can be inserted, then positioned and sized to suit. And thats it.
As the flat cars also have the same number, at least one numeral on each side needs changing to make each car unique. I will be only altering two flats - I scraped off the last 0 of the numbers and added a new one from some old Letraset rubdowns. Not quite the same font but near enough I suppose!
Being three identical ET&WNC cars and trailers, I toyed with the idea of respraying a couple of the trailers and giving them a different freighter ownership. Then, as always, time gets in the way. So I decided that instead of a repaint, I would create some sticky labels with West Coast Freight as the owner and also renumber them, etc.
Here is one as ex-factory - the trailer`s rear door being plain.
Side view ...
Rear ...
Trailer front end ....
I had some large labels (two to an A4 sheet) so they were ideal. I created them using MS Word, WordArt, and MS Drawing. Do one, group all the lettering and picture - the latter taken from a vintage postcard of the bridge over the River Moy in Ballina - then copy and paste until I had six to cover the ET&WNC logo, then copy and paste another to reduce in size for the rear of the trailers. Once at the right size, it was copy and paste until I had three.
A poor pic of the sheet of completed labels ....
Close-ups
Trailer numbers and depot IDs were done the same way - three for each trailer - with a Word Art edit for each batch of three for a numeral change.
Depot IDs were also created in the same way except they are all from the same depot.
Once printed out (I only have inkjet facilities), I needed to fix the water based ink. This was done by several light sprays of clear gloss varnish followed by one dusting of matt varnish.
Left to dry and then placed between two books to maintain a flat sheet, they were awaiting my further attention. As SWMBO usually rings her sister, I got the cutting mat out and cut out enough stickers for the first trailer.
Results; -
Same side as original ....
Rear doors - label scored to represent door edges ...
Front ....
And the opposite side showing the alteration to the car number ...
The varnish does create a slight surface tension because, after having photographed the completed trailer, I noticed a couple of the stickers starting to peel back at a corner. Due diligence will keep that in check (if I remember!)
As MS can be a love - hate thing for many of us, I do find it has some useful bits for me. When you open up Word (mine is as old as 2003!), I select a useful shape in Draw, then stretch it out on the page (I usually make the page size 200% so that I can scroll left and right or up and down against the measurent bars.
Once the desired shape (which is your billboard or sign sticker) is sized, you select a fill colour. Then if you want an edge to it (I usually use black because I can use a black felt tip pen to cover the white paper edge) you can select the line thickness to give a thinner or wider edge. If you dont want an edge showing, just change the line colour to the same as the fill.
The object or shape can be brought `in front of text` by a right click and a drop down menu. Every time you add text or picture/s, always make sure that they are brought to the same order of position as the background shape. Failure to this will mean you could lose some of your added artwork when Grouping all the objects together.
Grouping allows the completed article to be moved around the page, to be copied, expanded or resized (larger or smaller). To group, you right click on the main object, select Grouping, hold down the keyboard shift button, and click on each added text or picture until they are all included.
Word Art is like a shape - just select a pre-determined format (lettering shapes) and then it opens up to allow you to compose your wording. To change Fonts, there is a drop down menu. Once satisfied with your text, its one click to place it on your page. You then drag it where you want it and resize by the usual click on and drag method. Letters can be filled same as the shape. Outline colour is changed as a Line as is the thickness also.
Pictures can be inserted, then positioned and sized to suit. And thats it.
As the flat cars also have the same number, at least one numeral on each side needs changing to make each car unique. I will be only altering two flats - I scraped off the last 0 of the numbers and added a new one from some old Letraset rubdowns. Not quite the same font but near enough I suppose!
