Just saw the Centauri paint update and thought I'd bring this up.

What experiences does anyone have with the Dupont Chromalux paint system? Supposedly this is the choice among body shops due to its ease of use and excellent results.

> Just saw the Centauri paint update and
> thought I'd bring this up.

> What experiences does anyone have with the
> Dupont Chromalux paint system? Supposedly
> this is the choice among body shops due to
> its ease of use and excellent results.

I'm not familiar with Chromalux, but generally what is good for painting automobiles may not necessarily be good for railroad cars. On an auto, one wants a good shine from a cheap paint that is quick and easy to apply.
On a railroad car one wants a paint that holds out in all weather and is fairly scratch resistant. It's going to get bumped, walked on, have ladders leaned against it, and other insults to the finish. It has to be able to withstand this.
The best I've seen and will still swear by is Sherwin Williams Sunfire. It ain't cheap, but it's sure tough. Far better than Awlgrip.
Mark D.

Is sunfire a catalyzed paint?

> I'm not familiar with Chromalux, but
> generally what is good for painting
> automobiles may not necessarily be good for
> railroad cars. On an auto, one wants a good
> shine from a cheap paint that is quick and
> easy to apply.
> On a railroad car one wants a paint that
> holds out in all weather and is fairly
> scratch resistant. It's going to get bumped,
> walked on, have ladders leaned against it,
> and other insults to the finish. It has to
> be able to withstand this.
> The best I've seen and will still swear by
> is Sherwin Williams Sunfire. It ain't cheap,
> but it's sure tough. Far better than
> Awlgrip.
> Mark D.

Having worked in the auto repair industry for 20 years I cannot disagree with you more on your statement about auto paint. Any car on the road today takes more abuse than most any preserved rail equipment. Truth be told automotive paint is probably the best material to apply to any vehicle. For protection and shine with color hold out most all manufacturers of paint are on equal ground. The surface prep is the most important step in the refinishing process. If the paint companys guidelines are not followed then a failure is likely. Whatever system is used, talk to a qualified paint represenitive to obtian the best results. I have several 15 - 20 year old auto paint jobs that still look as though the were painted lAST week. I painted two cars for the Museum of Transport in Kirkwood, MO ( CB&Q coach 7200 and business car Aleutian), and and used cheap paint. These two cars were painted in 1995 for the movie Truman. They have faded considerably even though the have been under cover almost, since the movie was filmed. It is better to spend extra now for the right paint, than to redo something in a few years because of saving money today.
My two cents worth,
Scott Francis

sfrancis_2@charter.net

> Having worked in the auto repair industry
> for 20 years I cannot disagree with you more
> on your statement about auto paint. Any car
> on the road today takes more abuse than most
> any preserved rail equipment. Truth be told
> automotive paint is probably the best
> material to apply to any vehicle. For
> protection and shine with color hold out
> most all manufacturers of paint are on equal
> ground. The surface prep is the most
> important step in the refinishing process.
> If the paint companys guidelines are not
> followed then a failure is likely. Whatever
> system is used, talk to a qualified paint
> represenitive to obtian the best results. I
> have several 15 - 20 year old auto paint
> jobs that still look as though the were
> painted lAST week. I painted two cars for
> the Museum of Transport in Kirkwood, MO (
> CB&Q coach 7200 and business car
> Aleutian), and and used cheap paint. These
> two cars were painted in 1995 for the movie
> Truman. They have faded considerably even
> though the have been under cover almost,
> since the movie was filmed. It is better to
> spend extra now for the right paint, than to
> redo something in a few years because of
> saving money today.
> My two cents worth,
> Scott Francis

You're welcome to disagree. I think we're looking at the subject from two different viewpoints. First, I never mentioned cheap paint. Sunfire is very expensive. Go price it! It's a finish designed for industrial uses. What I'm talking about is railroad equipment being used in excursion service and requiring steady maintenance. Nobody I know of leans ladders against their automobiles, nor do they walk on the hoods and trunks. Usually they garage their baby and keep it washed with clean water and sometimes a mild detergent. Then it gets waxed!
Contrast that with the vintage railroad coaches I have worked with. They are scrubbed down with rough brushes, a pressure washer and a highly acidic detergent. And wax? What's that? Vandals are continuously pelting them with rocks and other handy debris. They sit outside 24-7 in sun, sweltering heat, acid rain, and when in use are pelted with literally tons of cinders from a locomotive.
Yet, these cars hold their shine. They rarely show a scratch when someone accidentally runs a piece of equipment into it, and when walking on roofs they seldom scratch.
I've worked with many automotive paints. It is not usually tough. Imron is fairly tough, but not tough enough.
This stuff is tougher by a long shot. Yet, it has good color, a decent shine no worse than other single stage finishes, and I'm sorry, but a regular automotive finish will not do what Sunfire can do in this type of application.
That said, if a rail car is being restored for static display, and is kept indoors then even an automotive finish isn't what I'd pick. I'd find a paint that closely resembles what the car would have been originally painted with. I'm not talking color, I'm talking about how it will look in regard to gloss and how it lays.
Surface preparation is, as everyone knows, the most important part of a new paint job. That doesn't need to be discussed. Anyone who paints knows that.

Yes, in response to Bob K's question, Sunfire is a catalyzed paint. Lots of Isocyanates in it. Goood stuff. But, everyone is free to choose the finish they like. I'm only offering up what I know about a product and that's that.
Mark D.

> Yes, in response to Bob K's question,
> Sunfire is a catalyzed paint. Lots of
> Isocyanates in it. Goood stuff. But,
> everyone is free to choose the finish they
> like. I'm only offering up what I know about
> a product and that's that.
> Mark D.

Thanks for the responses. What I've got in store here is the refinishing of Brooklyn and Queens Transit #1001, the numero uno St. Louis PCC at Branford. The car is stored indoors and would see some long years operation. The last paint job in the early 1960's was in Dupont Dulux enamel, which unfortunately is no longer being made. Dulux also was a fairly delicate paint system, and it lasted until now. There are other systems, but since are going to have to paint the car piecemeal until everything is done, Chromalux is the best I can find for the purpose. The base coat colorsands just like lacquer. The clearcoat can be ordered to be pretty tough.

Thanks everybody. I'll be posting updates and further advice requests shortly.