Fixing the paint on a Lionel ALCO

[@Blue_Dingo]

I remember getting one of those for Christmas 1966-68, I was 6-8 years old. Dad was a Union Pacific Engineer, they wanted a UP Locomotive for me. We went to every department store in Portland, no luck. Sears was last, and we found the Rio Grande Alco, it was close as we were going to get. I loved it, it was yellow like dad's locomotives. I think mine had the reverser switch on top. I may have to pick one up for the shelf. Thank you, great memory.

[@billintex001]

Loved the video. Always great to see the efforts we go to to keep these babies alive. This is one oddball ALCO shell. Lionel couldn't make up their mind I guess what they wanted in terms of final production. It was intended to be no frills cheap for low end starter sets, hence no (literally) bells and whistles, let alone an e-unit. But your shell is a bit unique. I've seen other 222 Rios with ornamental horns on the roof. Yours has no pre-drilled holes. Yours has the e-unit lever slot filled in. Most budget ALCOs just had an empty slot. And I've seen some 222s with the side portholes open all the way through (no place to load up the day glo orange paint!). I don't think I've ever seen variations on other ALCOs, just the 222 Rio Grandes. Have no clue why.

[@CloverdaleTransitAuthority]

I noticed those things too. Especially the horn because every one of my other ALCOs from this time period has the little metal horn.

[@nscaledivision2336]

Oh that's awesome and for a great deal rio grande is one of my favorites

[@johnmondone7711]

I Think it came out Great! Run it with a few of Lionel's weathered series freight cars and you would not even notice the repairs you made!

[@CloverdaleTransitAuthority]

Thank you.

[@richardsobieck9660]

I have a name for people like us. I’m an Alcohaulic. I bought one a few years back that had been really painted over the vents and such. I sprayed primer on it and the details of these bodies is amazing. So i painted mine up in the New York Central cigar band scheme. It looks great.

[@RaysTrains]

Looks great Chris !!

[@CloverdaleTransitAuthority]

Thanks Ray. It was a good first attempt. We'll see if I want to fiddle with it more later on.

[@revtlc]

The larger roof square could be painted black as a vent; the smaller one should be covered with the missing horn. You could either drill out the port holes or paint them black. The small area between the ladder rungs could be painted silver. Thus you would avoid trying to match that yellow.

[@Greatdome99]

Large square on roof is the exhaust, so it should be black or hollow.

[@andyevans2336]

Had one in 1965, drive the wheels off of it. Still wish that I had it to this day.

[@genemanno1533]

Suggest a closer match yellow to start with. Standard jar paints are not even close. A custom mix and it may need a few tries to get it right.😊

[@CloverdaleTransitAuthority]

I may take another swing at it what is a good first try. It may be better painting on top of a base yellow with a more reddish yellow. Keep in mind that the shell is 60 years old and even that color is not what it used to be.

[@TychoYard]

Looks good!

[@CloverdaleTransitAuthority]

I may want to fiddle with the paint a little more later on or I may just get tired of it. LOL!

[@momatmach1]

If you had used a red oxide primer I reckon it would have been much closer on the original coat ?

[@CloverdaleTransitAuthority]

I might go back and test a few other things.

[@JasonBrown-mx2kk]

Get a paint that's matched that color and brush it on

[@JasonBrown-mx2kk]

Or even black

[@plunkervillerr1529]

It`s a Spicy Meat Ball!

[@Greatdome99]

needs more orange. too much white. bad color match.