.logic says you cant just go and paint her, surely the rust will be removed and the steel primed before painting
I agree 100% with Derek, but I think it would be far better first to wash the entire loco and tender down with the high pressure cleaner that we have on hand at CPX depot, to remove all the dirt and all the loose pieces and or flaking rust. After the wash down of the loco and tender, and has sufficiently dried, in stages the rusted parts will need to be either be gently sand-blasted and or needle-gunned, and immediately thereafter a least two coats of red primer be applied to each stage.
Note that I used the word “stagesâ€. This is to keep it surface areas, which need to be coated with red primer over a weekend, manageable. The down side, it that it will be about a two or three months before this job is completed, again all dependent on the hands available.
Once the loco is covered literally from head to toe in primer, only then should a final coat of black and white paints be added.
My two cents worth to this discussion!