dirty coal cars

[tomytuna]

gotta weather my coal hoppers. Would like recomendation on what color black would make best color for airbrushing? just flat black? engine black? Anyone? thanks Tommy

 

[Greg@mnrr]

tomytuna:

I would recommend using just light coats of Grimy Black to weather your coal cars.

I purchased eight or so Milwaukee Road coal hoppers that were weathered using Grimy Black and the modeler added real coal as a topping to the Chooch (?) coal loads already in the hopper.

They turned out very nice.

Greg

 

[dave1905]

I use three colors, grimy or plain black, "harbor mist" grey and mineral brown, sprayed in light coats with an air brush. Black for coal dust and general grime, grey for road dust and spray, brown very lightly for a slight rusty tone. Brown or red hoppers get a little more brown and less black.

 

[tomytuna]

Greg and Dave..thank you both

 

[Ayn1078]

So which one did you use?

 

[AllenB]

I'd fade them down with a gray mixture...VERY easy on the paint. Like a wash.

 

[Red Oak & Western]

I'm with Dave. I use a light dusting of grimy black on the upper levels of coal cars and a dirty brown along the bottoms from road dust. Then rust on the wheelsets.

 

[Y3a]

What kind of coal? What road? What era?

There are brown coals and dark gray coal and shiny black and dull black kinds of coal.
Different roads used different colors of traction sand too.