Why not take the opportunity to learn to paint for yourself?  If all you want is a single basic color, the hardest part of the whole things is taking them apart.  Once you learn to paint, a whole new world of custom possibilities opens up to you.

I can't really blame folks for charging a lot.  Custom work is a pain, unless you're set up to do it professionally.  I won't do it any more, as it's just not worth my time.

For the quoted price of one car you can probably pick up a good air brush and compressor. Then as Ken said you can do your own. I would recommend starting on an inexpensive car like an older Athearn Blue Box. If you have a LHS near by I am sure they can give you pointers.

I find painting and detailing a car or locomotive as you want (or for a specific prototype per a photo) fun and rewarding.

Be blessed

Bill Michael

And my voice to Ken & Bill's. Even if you end up finding someone who will custom paint those sleepers for $100, that's $100 you could have spent on an airbrush.

I began airbrushing my own models well over 25 years ago now, and I've never looked back. Earliest jobs were with a single-action basic model, an emergency tire compressor, and a garage filled with sawdust and other debris. Ventilation was by opening the garage door. I still have a number of these early paint jobs and they're still nice models.

Seriously, check out some airbrushing videos on Youtube and consider making the investment. If you plan on custom painting anything more in the future, you won't regret the decision.

$240 a car and you don't even want them to decal it? I'm in the wrong business!

I have to join the chorus here and say use the money to buy your own airbrush and learn to do it yourself. Even if you screw up, it will be a learning experience - how to strip paint from cars!

-George

There are a bunch of custom painters on the net. I really cant say who for fear of advertising ramifications but i wouldnt pay more them $60.00 a car.

I already have an airbrush and compressor.  I did check and I need to spend about 60$ to upgrade a couple of parts on it.

My problem is that I am already into another project and want to speed up the pullman project as well.  The other project I am working can't be farmed out, but a basic paint job can more easily be farmed out.  As for the details on the cars, I already have the decals for the broad orange and yellow stripes, and I can do the lettering decals easily enough on my photoshop and printer.

I got a guy at the train club that is custom painting two mp15 for 35 dollars each. And he is a really good painter . He is als going to put the decals on them for me. All I had to was buy the paint. I thought that was a good deal.   

if you havent found a painter, contact me.  We can discuss what you need.  Jay ajt@embarqmail.com

... is to buy cheap tyco and lifelike cars. If you screw up then dip the cars into 91% alcohol and start over.