Weathering Rolling Stock, a Continous thread

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There are some beautiful examples of modeling in this thread!!! The weathering is exceptional!


My weathering technique was always very simplistic. The models would be sprayed with Dullcote and then chalk was dry brushed on to "rust and dust" them. Would have to search thru my files for rolling stock pics, but here's an example from the old layout. Fun times just thinking about this stuff again!

_MG_3656-3.jpg
 
grande man said:
There are some beautiful examples of modeling in this thread!!! The weathering is exceptional!


My weathering technique was always very simplistic. The models would be sprayed with Dullcote and then chalk was dry brushed on to "rust and dust" them. Would have to search thru my files for rolling stock pics, but here's an example from the old layout. Fun times just thinking about this stuff again!

_MG_3656-3.jpg
Click to expand...
Nice
 
TLOC said:
…Yes there is a duplicated number in this batch of 4. One of DTTX 620643 has been traded to a friend who will be over within the hour.

I think you can figure which car will have the touch up work done
Click to expand...

I would not have duplicate engine numbers on my layout (I have a “retired” loco due to this - it was a gift), but when it comes to rolling stock, working in N scale gives me “flexibility”:

1. Do nothing (the numbers are impossible to see unless holding cars for inspection) and just separate them on the train a bit.
2. A deft touch can turn a “3” into an “8”, a “4” into a “1”, etc. Ok, I’m not as deft as I would like, so I don’t do it to often.
3. Or the #1 tool in my box: A strategic streak of rust on a steel car, severe letter fading & running, or paint peeling on a wood box car.

Hey, when you’re working in N Scale, and you’re modeling a 40-car coal train for a fallen flag that is “second tier” in popularity (and thus selection), and you’re thus pretty much limited to the secondary market, you get creative & make do.
 
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I’m done for the day! As most of you know I limit myself to 2 hour sessions at the weathering bench with at least 90 minutes between sessions. I hit the 6 hour mark today…

Some happenings

The APG tank car is clear coated with a fade coming next
IMG_5159.jpeg


The EEC boxcar has a fade coat, clear coat, some pan pastels and pigments on the roof. It just received another clear coat. The weathering is to come

The BNSF boxcar has a fade coat and a clear coat. Weathering is next
IMG_5160.jpeg
IMG_5161.jpeg


These well cars are going to drive me battier than I already am. Already faded, but turns out NOT clear coated. it was onto the weathering and I tried to put Tamiya over Vallejo. The interaction was like curdled milk! So they were stripped 1st thing this morning. After a light soapy (dawn dish soap) cleaning and a warm water rinse I faded the units again! These are drying after another clear account has been applied

IMG_5157.jpeg
IMG_5158.jpeg


2 PT 40’ containers from Portugal and 2 from Aurora Miniatures were cleaned, lightly faded and clear coated. A slight weathering is next

3 CMO covered hoppers from the Operator series from Scaletrains, cleaned and clear coated. 2 of these will be medium weathered and the 2 others will be heavily weathered.

That is the FINAL client ST reefer with the start of custom graffiti and a light weathering of kick up along the frame and slightly on the door. I do have 6 of mine own to do but honestly if I never saw another ST reefer it would be alright! 32 of them are ready for shipping with 36 already out the door. If you need a new in the box ST reefer contact me. I have a few new in the box I can sell…
IMG_5155.jpeg

Here is the fourth CMO covered hopper
IMG_5156.jpeg


I do have 2 of my own CMO cars but I left in the box and on the shelf!

Yep, I have been busy.

Clear coats are Tamiya xf86 flat clear thinned 50/50 with Tamiya thinner x20A

Fade coats were all Tamiya xf-2 flat white. Thinner was the 91% concentration of Isopropyl Alcohol in a 20% paint to 80% thinner mix

The roof pigment on the box cars is Dark Rust from AK Interactive applied to a base coat of AK Streaking grime while still wet and tamped down

Any questions, comments and thoughts are welcome
 
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C&OMtnMan said:
I would nothave duplicate engine numbers on my layout (I have a “retired” loco due to this - it was a gift), but when it comes to rolling stock, working in N scale gives me “flexibility”:

1. Do nothing (the numbers are impossible to see unless holding cars for inspection) and just separate them on the train a bit.
2. A deft touch can turn a “3” into an “8”, a “4” into a “1”, etc. Ok, I’m not as deft as I would like, so I don’t do it to often.
3. Or the #1 tool in my box: A strategic streak of rust on a steel car, severe letter fading & running, or paint peeling on a wood box car.

Hey, when you’re working in N Scale, and you’re modeling a a 40-car coal train for a fallen flag that is “second tier” in popularity (and thus selection), and you’re pretty much limited to the secondary market, you get creative & make do.
Click to expand...
I generally don’t worry about duplicated numbers but in the case of these well cars I KNOW somewhere in the very near future I will sell off a full 30 car stack train or 2. Duplicate numbers in a consist are frowned upon when selling! So I traded with a buddy to keep the train numbers unmuddled!

All my pulp cars have a duplicate number. I switch them from loaded to empty between paper mill shifts
 
TLOC said:
I’m done for the day! As most of you know I limit myself to 2 hour sessions at the weathering bench with at least 90 minutes between sessions. I hit the 6 hour mark today…

Some happenings

The APG tank car is clear coated with a fade coming next
View attachment 185581

The EEC boxcar has a fade coat, clear coat, some pan pastels and pigments on the roof. It just received another clear coat. The weathering is to come

The BNSF boxcar has a fade coat and a clear coat. Weathering is next
View attachment 185583View attachment 185582

These well cars are going to drive me battier than I already am. Already faded, but turns out NOT clear coated. it was onto the weathering and I tried to put Tamiya over Vallejo. The interaction was like curdled milk! So they were stripped 1st thing this morning. After a light soapy (dawn dish soap) cleaning and a warm water rinse I faded the units again! These are drying after another clear account has been applied

View attachment 185584View attachment 185585

2 PT 40’ containers from Portugal and 2 from Aurora Miniatures were cleaned, lightly faded and clear coated. A slight weathering is next

3 CMO covered hoppers from the Operator series from Scaletrains, cleaned and clear coated. 2 of these will be medium weathered and the 2 others will be heavily weathered.

That is the FINAL client ST reefer with the start of custom graffiti and a light weathering of kick up along the frame and slightly on the door. I do have 6 of mine own to do but honestly if I never saw another ST reefer it would be alright! 32 of them are ready for shipping with 36 already out the door. If you need a new in the box ST reefer contact me. I have a few new in the box I can sell…
View attachment 185587
Here is the fourth CMO covered hopper
View attachment 185586

I do have 2 of my own CMO cars but I left in the box and on the shelf!

Yep, I have been busy.

Clear coats are Tamiya xf86 flat clear thinned 50/50 with Tamiya thinner x20A

Fade coats were all Tamiya xf-2 flat white. Thinner was the 91% concentration of Isopropyl Alcohol in a 20% paint to 80% thinner mix

The roof pigment on the box cars is Dark Rust from AK Interactive applied to a base coat of AK Streaking grime while still wet and tamped down

Any questions, comments and thoughts are welcome
Click to expand...

Man.... I don't know how you do it, that's a lot to take on and just keep going and going... and to receive stuff do the work and then ship it out and to receive more and on and on....
I'm getting burned out just watching ya!
I need a break just after doing one car or loco myself.
Great work Tom!

Z
 
CPR Zee said:
Man.... I don't know how you do it, that's a lot to take on and just keep going and going... and to receive stuff do the work and then ship it out and to receive more and on and on....
I'm getting burned out just watching ya!
I need a break just after doing one car or loco myself.
Great work Tom!

Z
Click to expand...
Z

I have suffered burn out in the past and I’m approaching it now. I walk away when the mood isn’t there, but burn out is entirely different. When I don’t even want to go into the train room or studio, it’s time to really wander away.

I have found that just running trains or doing online retail therapy does help but not as much as it used to…

Golf trips are very beneficial to me to keep the modeling burn out away.

As much as I showed yesterday, none of that was hard or taxing. It’s part of the process. It’s not creative. I like to batch things not only for efficiency but clarity of what’s going on. It’s unusual that I left my 2 CMO covered hoppers out of the clean and clear coat mix yesterday. Normally 2 more cars to be cleaned and clear coated are no big deal but when I realized later that I DIDN'T WANT to pull them off the shelf, it hit me. Walk away time is coming.

I’m not pushing through things yet. When I feel that way I do stop.

None of those models shown on 4/6 are due in April but the owners will accept them whenever they are done. Many, ok all the ScaleTrain reefers but that 1 are done. They are commissions done ahead of schedule but most will not be accepted before 5/15 when they were promised. I am ahead on the reefers because my January/February golf trip got shortened when I re-injured my right knee and had to come home 3 weeks early.

My order of weathering process is:

1. regular client commissions
2. 1 diesel commission per week
3. new client freight car commissions
4. structure commissions
5. my own stuff plus a Ca. client stuff I use for fillins

My lead times are 6 weeks for freight cars, 8 weeks for diesels and structures are per quote but usually within 120 days I am not accepting new structure business for the balance of 2024, and maybe I am done. I have a 3 piece warehouse I am currently working on that is 6” at its widest and 68” long. I usually weather on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays if I’m on schedule and Terry the Traveler is home. If she’s not home, like now, I’ll find my way to the weathering bench but the limit is still no more than 3 sessions of 2 hours with at least 90 minutes in between.

I’ll continue until the enjoyment is gone
 
TLOC said:
Z

I have suffered burn out in the past and I’m approaching it now. I walk away when the mood isn’t there, but burn out is entirely different. When I don’t even want to go into the train room or studio, it’s time to really wander away.

I have found that just running trains or doing online retail therapy does help but not as much as it used to…

Golf trips are very beneficial to me to keep the modeling burn out away.

As much as I showed yesterday, none of that was hard or taxing. It’s part of the process. It’s not creative. I like to batch things not only for efficiency but clarity of what’s going on. It’s unusual that I left my 2 CMO covered hoppers out of the clean and clear coat mix yesterday. Normally 2 more cars to be cleaned and clear coated are no big deal but when I realized later that I DIDN'T WANT to pull them off the shelf, it hit me. Walk away time is coming.

I’m not pushing through things yet. When I feel that way I do stop.

None of those models shown on 4/6 are due in April but the owners will accept them whenever they are done. Many, ok all the ScaleTrain reefers but that 1 are done. They are commissions done ahead of schedule but most will not be accepted before 5/15 when they were promised. I am ahead on the reefers because my January/February golf trip got shortened when I re-injured my right knee and had to come home 3 weeks early.

My order of weathering process is:

1. regular client commissions
2. 1 diesel commission per week
3. new client freight car commissions
4. structure commissions
5. my own stuff plus a Ca. client stuff I use for fillins

My lead times are 6 weeks for freight cars, 8 weeks for diesels and structures are per quote but usually within 120 days I am not accepting new structure business for the balance of 2024, and maybe I am done. I have a 3 piece warehouse I am currently working on that is 6” at its widest and 68” long. I usually weather on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays if I’m on schedule and Terry the Traveler is home. If she’s not home, like now, I’ll find my way to the weathering bench but the limit is still no more than 3 sessions of 2 hours with at least 90 minutes in between.

I’ll continue until the enjoyment is gone
Click to expand...

Yeah you have to be careful that you don't loose your hobby to becoming a job that you don't enjoy anymore.
Man.... golf season is already here again too, looking forward to getting out with the guys!

Z
 
TLOC said:
Since Covid I have not watched golf on TV but started playing again.
Click to expand...

I live in the southeast, about 45 miutes from where a REALLY BIG golf tournament is going on this week. A MAJOR one. Ya oughter git yaseff down hyere’s to watch in person so’s to git yaseff a break from weatherin’ cars and sech, and from that thar mizzable Wiscosin weathuh!

Of course , you might have to weather cars for a year solid to pay for a ticket.
 


C&OMtnMan said:
I live in the southeast, about 45 miutes from where a REALLY BIG golf tournament is going on this week. A MAJOR one. Ya oughter git yaseff down hyere’s to watch in person so’s to git yaseff a break from weatherin’ cars and sech, and from that thar mizzable Wiscosin weathuh!

Of course , you might have to weather cars for a year solid to pay for a ticket.
Click to expand...
The Masters was the final big 4 Major tournaments on my wish list to see. Applied for tickets starting in the 1970’s. Went finally in 2018 and again in 2019. The most fun Major golf tournament for me was the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry on Saturday when Tom Watson had his final real chance to win as the oldest. He lost in a playoff on Sunday

The saddest golf event in person for me was the Ryder Cup at Medinah in 2012 when the US team literally choked before our eyes. From roars all day to deathly silence at the end of the day. But damn, the food was awesome
 
TLOC said:
There are 2 posts on page 94 and at the end of page 95
Click to expand...

Yes, Tom…if you click in the “view attachment” link where I quote your post, you’ll see it is from the page 94 post. That post contains both the first reference to, and first photo of, that car. Yet it has the look of light weathering already having been started, somewhat like Athearn’s “Primed for Grime” offerings; thus, my inquiry.
 
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C&OMtnMan said:
Yes, Tom…if you click in the “view attachment” link where I quote your post, you’ll see it is from the page 94 post. That post contains both the first reference to, and first photo of, that car. Yet it has the look of light weathering already having been started, somewhat like Athearn’s “Primed for Grime” offerings; thus, my inquiry.
Click to expand...
I have it packaged up but I will look at the box and see what it says. I know for sure it’s an Athearn but unaware of what series
 
TLOC said:
I have it packaged up but I will look at the box and see what it says. I know for sure it’s an Athearn but unaware of what series
Click to expand...

The car has an interesting look - bright paint for the rail box lettering ang others (like letter decals or paint peeled off on a prototype, leaving a fresher body color paint underneath, and the majority of body colored paint looking like it had seen the elements - a difficult look for a modeler to achieve.

Or does Railbox deliver them with that yellow-on-yellow two tone look?
 
C&OMtnMan said:
The car has an interesting look - bright paint for the rail box lettering ang others (like letter decals or paint peeled off on a prototype, leaving a fresher body color paint underneath, and the majority of body colored paint looking like it had seen the elements - a difficult look for a modeler to achieve.

Or does Railbox deliver them with that yellow-on-yellow two tone look?
Click to expand...
 


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