# Poly S replacement??



## breezy8 (Jun 21, 2012)

This has probably been asked before, but I will ask anyway...What PAINT line is replaceing the "Poly S" line of acrylic RR paints? breezy8


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Acrylic paint*

I don't know if Testors Co. ,in their infinite wisdom, ever even tried to replace Polly S.
They sure didn't offer any decent replacement for regular Floquill !
I personally like Tamyia paint a lot. It's an alcohol-based acrylic that works great. Tamyia is a maker of excellent models of military vehicles. Since their paints are made for this product, they don't have specific railroad colors. However they have every color in the rainbow, and then some. I've been able to use it on railroad products with excellent results.

Try it. I think you'll like it.
Traction Fan


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Rustoleum Corp (parent company of Testors) used a classic bit of 19th Century competitive strategy right out of the Rail Baron playbook: buy out your competition and shut it down. Oh, they made it look right, but that's essentially what they did. Some colors and formulations got folded into their ModelMaster line; most simply went the way of the dodo.

So what to do? Well, small scale replacements (in an airbrush-ready formulation) are available from MicroMark under their Microlux line of paints -- about 12 of the most common colors.

I personally have switched to Acrylicos Vallejos (Vallejo Acrylics). These are a line of professional quality paints by a company that is oriented to wargaming and miniature painting. So, you won't find "railroad colors" under those names, but with about 280 different shades available, you can generally match just about anything.


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## Dr Bob (Dec 31, 2013)

I just went to my local Hobby Lobby to buy some paints to add to my dwindling Polly S collection. I selected some of the colors from the acrylic ModelMasters line. They are not a complete match for the Polly S colors, but they seem close enough. Not all "rust" is the same color anyway. Still looking for a good color for "concrete". I did get some nice tans and grays that look good for structures.

Dr Bob


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Vallejo's Stone Gray is a a good aged concrete color.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Concrete contains crushed rock and sand (which is just very finely crushed rock). The kind of rock and sand used to make the concrete can change the color of the finished concrete -- in a subtile way.

I, too have been looking for a concrete color. I scouted some local concrete and found that while the basic color is gray, there is a tan tint to some of the concrete that I observed. I have been experimenting with mixing a small amount of tan paint with different shades of gray paint. No final decision, yet -- just test patches, so far. But I like the look. Solid gray makes the surface look too much like metal to me.

Then there is the fact that concrete stains easily, so a little weathering might also help attain a more realistic look.


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## DaveInTheHat (Nov 13, 2011)

Folk Art has a color called "Sandstone". It looks like concrete. I hardly used any PollyS paints. I like JoSonja, but I can't find anyplace close to me that sells it.


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## MRLdave (Nov 1, 2011)

I can't say it's a direct replacement for Polly S, but I've been using Tru-color paint and gotten great results. http://trucolorpaint.com/ And they have a large selection of RR specific paint.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Isn't Tru-Color exclusively solvent based? Polly Scale is acrylic (Floquil was the brand name of the solvent based paints). Due to respiratory issues, we can't do solvent-based in my house.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

CTValleyRR said:


> Isn't Tru-Color exclusively solvent based?.


Yes, it is solvent based.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

MtRR75 said:


> Yes, it is solvent based.


So while it is great paint, probably not a good replacement for Polly Scale acrylics.


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