Track weathering/ painting

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railBuilderDhd

railBuilderDhd

Active Member
I'm getting ready to paint track for the first time and would like to hear how others are doing this and what tips or tricks you may have to share with us. I wanted to know if I should airbrush the track rails or is there a better way. Does anyone add powders to the rails for rust or only paint?
Dave
 
Powders are great for weathering ballast but you need paint for the rails. I use a 50/50 mix of Rail Brown and Rust for mainline tracks and straight Rust for spurs and yard tracks. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, I then mask off the rails and use an 80/20 mixture of Railroad Tie Brown and SP Lark Grey to paint the ties. This gives a weathered creosote appearance to the ties. For most purposes, the mixture sprayed on the rails will also look fine on the ties. Once the ballast is down, you can then attack it weathering chalks to darken up the ballast between the rails.
 
Just a quick question: does Floquil RR Tie Brown and Rail Brown look green to anyone (like a dark olive drab) besides me?
 


It's the rail brown color that causes that "green" tint. Using it straight does have a bit of olive drab appearance to it. Most mainline rails look more grimy black due to the oils spilled from the engines and greasers that lube the wheel flanges.
 
ICG/SOU said:
Just a quick question: does Floquil RR Tie Brown and Rail Brown look green to anyone (like a dark olive drab) besides me?
Click to expand...

Absolutely, some of the batches....yes. I have seen some imagery posted here and there where the member states they used RR Tie Brown and it looks much more realistic. So, ya takes yer chances. I wouldn't use it again, personally. I'd go for Roof Brown and wash it with Floquil's "rust" after it had cured for a few days.

Here is an image showing "rust" on the siding (it needs an undercoat which I didn't know to apply to darken it and to make it more opaque), and the RR Tie Brown is on the obvious main.

IMG_5954csharadj.png
 
Yes, Rail Brown does had a greenish tinge. I'm not sure why that hue is part of Rail Brown but thats why I cut it with Rust, to get rid of that greenish tinge. The brown shade with some rust looks, to my eyes, more like a typical mainline rail.
 
I purchased the Floquil paint pens (rail brown, railroad tie brown, rust) to try on my layout, and was disappointed in the colors (green, other green, red clay color).

I did, before laying track, use Rustoleum primer red on my track (before putting in down since I have foam), and found out that although the color for the rail is nice, I can't solder already painted track.

I'm just going to bust out the airbrush and use a mix of roof brown and rust to get the rails and tieplates. After that, it will be the brush and some railroad tie brown mixed with some grey and paint ties individually. That's the only way I can figure out how to do it.
 
Well, I did it last night and the rail brown color is green to me as well. I ended up going over it with brown powders and Dulecote to get the green color to lok better. I'm not sure i"ll use those paint pens ever again. Has anyone ever worked with the rail painter in this link http://www.joesmodeltrains.com/Rusty Rails Painter.htm. Looks like a good idea but don't know if it's worth it at all.

Dave
 
I've used the Joe's rail painter and it is fairly straight forward. He has several colors you can buy but the applicator is easy and effective.
 


My technique (although if Jim is ever in the area I'll let him do mine!):

Airbrush rail and tie with Rail Tie Brown.

Brush sidings/spurs with 50/50 diluted rust.

Airbrush ballast and center line of ties with 50/50 diluted grimy black.
 
I use "rattle cans". Krylon to be exact. Oxide, dark gray, brown, and black primer in that order. $2 a can, thereabouts, at Wal-Mart and it goes a lo-o-o-o-ong way.

Bob
 
I prime the track with a dark spray-paint...either flat black or Floquil Roof Brown...then I go back with some Polly Scale Roof Brown or Rail Tie Brown & brush it on...I also repeatedly clean the rail heads with a brite-boy (abrasive track cleaner)

cncproadwarrior said:
Do you paint before ballasting? If not, do you cover the ballast with something?
Click to expand...

Always paint before ballasting...at least I do...I can't imagine trying to do it the other way round
 
I've used Sharpie permanent markers and a Sharpie paint marker pen. They're easy, emit no fumes and give tolerable coverage but they do tend to "bounce" over the plastic nubs that are supposed to be spikes on the side of the rails.

I've also used cheap, plastic safe spray paint. It's ok, but you do need good ventilation.

This time around, I might just brush paint the rails and see how it looks. I don't want to invest in an airbrush right now.
 
Mac, when you get off furlough, I'll be glad to have you fly me over there the next time you're near MGM. :) I've used Krylon rattle cans also, usually primer color, as a base for the tracks before I get to more detailed painting. You certainly want to do this before you lay down ballast. I have never had success using an airbrush for weathering the center of the track and find chalks work much better for me.
 
If there is one thing to remember when air brushing rail regardless of your colour choice, is to make sure that you put a small piece of masking tape over your turnout points. I learned that one the hard way. What a pain in the arse it is to go back and sand that paint out of the points later. Lesson learned!:o
 
Depending on your situation, I suggest painting track before laying it, airbrushing it in place might not be such a good idea due to poor ventilation in the room your layout is situated in. Rather take it outside, set it on some newspaper and airbrush away. Let it dry and then lay it. This works very well for straight parallel tracks like in a yard. I've noticed when curving pre-painted track, you'll need to do some touch up using a brush once its in place.
 
I've used the Floquil paint pens and I find I can still see the rail under the paint. It seems to give a semi opaque covering even after multiple applications. :confused:
 


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