Hello everyone,

I'm considering using Tichy #9029 decals for USRA and panel side
hoppers for an upcoming D&H hopper project. I've heard that these
decals don't take well to setting solutions. Does anyone who has
experience with these decals care to comment? Also, how accurate are
these decals?

Thanks,
Mark Heiden

Mark,

I have recently built two Tichy War Emergency gons. I found the decals in both kits to be very brittle and difficult to handle. After losing a few decals, I solved the problem by overspraying the remaining decal sheet with Floquil KrystalCote.After allowing this to dry, the decals handled quite satisfactorily - much like Champ or Microscale out of the envelope. (Luckily, I had two sets to work with).

I cannot comment on the accuracy of the D&H hopper set, but I did find inaccuracies in the gondola decals and had to resort to my decal bone pile to improve upon the accuracy of the car lettering. Also, the print quality of the decals was less-than-desired. I would look for an alternate source of decals as I question that the kit supplied decals are worth the effort.

Jim Kubanick
Morgantown, WV