Model Train Journal

Not sure if I posted this here so I thought I'd do so.

Jerry did some Seaboard Air Line decals for me a few years ago and had a nice selection of other RRs too. He dropped out of sight and now Tichy has acquired his decal line. Here's a link to their O-scale decals by RR:

https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/by-road-name1/Default.aspx

$6 for 1 set isn't bad. They're nice decals and go on easily. Here's 2 old photos (still 3-rail at the time) of a couple of cars where I used his decals:





(STILL haven't added the door hardware to that PS1!!!)

BobD

Good looking cars, Mr. D.

Thanks for the link to the Tichy website. I nosed around a bit and they do have some very nice offerings. The universal flat car set is a great idea.

Jim

Thanks Jim.

The decals were hardly detectable once on the model, or I managed to do something right for a change.

Whatever the case I found them easy to use.

BobD

Anyone buy and use decals from Tichy yet?

I have read elsewhere about possible issues with the thickness of the ink/decal, non-conforming of decal over things like rivets, and the resolution, but they were N-scale guys. Tichy is not using ALPS and I do not believe Tichy is using the printing same process Jerry used on his really good decals. So if Jerry's great artwork is put through a third-class process/paper…then well…that's no good.

Tempted to buy some decals for testing purposes, but rather not waste my time if others here already know.

Not yet Dave, but I plan on it. For $6 a set it would be worth it to find out. I need to get a few cars from other RRs besides SAL.

Turns out Tichy is not using the same type of printer Jerry's printer used and the decal ink is much thicker than the decals I have from Jerry. Color match and resolution are amazing, but i think the thickness of these only (and unfortunately major) con. Doubt Tichy will invest in one of them $50k+ printers for such a dubious return on investment. Can they sell 1500 custom 8.5x11 decal sheets to just break even on the printer? (minus ink, minus decal paper, minus employee hours, etc.)

Photos here:
https://davejfr0.blogspot.com/2017/04/t ... arena.html

Thanks Dave for the input!

Are they as thick as the old Champ decals?

Dave, thanks for posting the images of the various decal issues on your blog. Helps to understand - I hadn't realized the bleed on orange and yellow was so problematic.

...gregg

So what are the alternatives?

Yes, other guys have decals in stock, but few have anything that I would every use.

Gregg - Its a registration issue with the printer. Hard to fix from what I understand.

Bob,
Decal paper itself is thin. As for the ink itself from Tichy, thicker than anything I ever remember from Champs. Then again, I would rather redraw champs decals and custom print them than use the champs decals, especially with the age of most of those these days. Tichy's ink thickness extremely noticeable on the paper, but maybe less so on the side of a model in certain lighting conditions. I am going to tryfigure out an alternative before using the Tichy decals.

Martin,
Either send artwork to Tichy and use his decals as they come, pay big dollars to have them silkscreened, or get lucky and find a pro graphics firm who will print your decals on their $50000 printer for a reasonable price.

DaveJfr0 wrote:or get lucky and find a pro graphics firm who will print your decals on their $50000 printer for a reasonable price.

That is becoming an impossible mission any more.

DaveJfr0 wrote:Either send artwork to Tichy and use his decals as they come, pay big dollars to have them silkscreened, or get lucky and find a pro graphics firm who will print your decals on their $50000 printer for a reasonable price.

Latter 2 options aren't happening; former 2 are at best a maybe.....

Dave,

I did look at your blog, they look 3D almost

I might try a set of two and see what they do once some clearcoat is applied.