Custom Decals That Actually Blend In — GE 44-Tonner Rebuild

In this episode of the GE 44-Tonner rebuild, I’m giving the locomotive its identity. This Bachmann Spectrum model starts out as a blank industrial switcher with no numbers or lettering, so today I’m adding custom decals and showing a technique that helps them blend in cleanly—without the usual silvering effect.

I walk through how I prepare the surface, why a light clear coat makes such a difference, and how I apply custom white decals printed with toner. This approach helps the lettering settle into the surface instead of looking like it was just stuck on.

This video covers:

Printing custom white decals using laser toner
Why white toner works differently than inkjet decals
Preventing decal silvering with a clear coat base
Cutting and positioning small decals accurately
Removing air bubbles and excess water cleanly
Adding “F” markings to indicate locomotive orientation
Thoughts on laser vs inkjet decals for model railroading

This isn’t about being perfect—it’s about making the details feel intentional. Once weathering goes on later, these decals will look like they’ve always belonged there.

Next up: reworking the headlights. The factory light-pipe setup isn’t cutting it, so I’ll be designing and 3D-printing custom LED holders using clear resin.

More of my work:
https://leapingcatmodelworks.com

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