Weathering Rolling Stock, a Continous thread


First attempt at weathering with some pan pastels. Still need to finish it up so open to recommendations. Need to add another set of dunnage between the different lengths of steel. Also some strapping is in the mail hopefully gets here next week.
 

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First attempt at weathering with some pan pastels. Still need to finish it up so open to recommendations. Need to add another set of dunnage between the different lengths of steel. Also some strapping is in the mail hopefully gets here next week.
Bigfoot13 welcome to the Continous thread…

First! I like the weathering on the flat car. I don‘t know if you used a prototype picture of a flat, but that looks very good and real. Good color and varied coverage. Less is more is difficult to achieve as we start out but IMO you nailed it. A bit more rust coverage needed on the left still showing white stirup. Did you use a sponge to apply the Pan Pastels? For the stirup I would suggest a brush, especially if you just want a light coating?

Looking at the flat sheet load… the coloring is right. No one can say if the pattern of rust on the sheets is right or wrong. I have seen sheet in yards or on flat cars that are all over the map. The patterns of rust maybe from moisture on the sheets and possible air movement of the moisture on the sheet during car movement. Streaks of rust and a few inches over still the sheet color from the plant. The edging could use a bit of color, just eliminate the clean edge. Those of what I have seen are usually more rusted then the flat of the sheets. It depends on how long since the sheet came off the production line, but there always seems to be some rusting.

I have used Pan Pastels (PP) on styrene made to look like sheet steel. I have applied with the foam sponge 🧽 a light coating of umber. Then when I like it, sprayed it back then with Testor DullCote in the can. (For the last month and a half I am using VMS’s matte varnish). I then took multi colors of PP and stippled it on with a brush. Overlapping each stippling mark as I saw fit. Sprayed again with Testors DullCote. I apply the stipple of PP or a sponge with enough pressure I have not had a drastic loss of color or the PP themselves when a clear cote has been added. When I have lightly stippled and sprayed clear, yes I have lost the color and effect! Experiment…your results are going to vary
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Wheelsets and trucks. After both have been cleaned to remove mold release compound or oils I have used PP for both to IMO mixed results. The trucks I have done was 2 fold after cleaning. Any dark brown PP heavily rubbed on and then a charcoal PP color lightly stippled and done with a brush. Wheel faces, I prefer Arcylic paints but did try it with a PP. I was told after posting they looked uneven and chunky. They did
The picture is Arcylic paint no PP

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Strapping! What do you have coming? I use chartex tape
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Dunnage! New, old or why did they use that? I have seen any of it on flat cars both in person or more often the last 3 years online. I generally use 4’ as my spacing unless I found the requirements online. Or guesstimate if you know the length product being supported. I think you have plenty in the picture.

A good 1st start and hopefully others will check in and offer constructive criticism and suggestions.

Just remember, Pan Pastels are very forgiving and can literally be wiped off with a paper towel or even a soft eraser. But before adding a clear coat. Or if stubborn use a qtip/cotton swab with a touch of 70% isopropyl alcohol.

Have fun
 
Thanks @TLOC. No pictures other then my memory bank ask a kid being around a little bit of steel. Also a quick search that didn't give any results that I liked
Yeah I hadn't gotten to the trucks or wheels yet.

For the steel I used a styrene "for sale sign" and cut the sheets 8' x 40' or less. The signs are about 0.01" and 0.015". On some hand painted with some acrylic blackish sludge I had laying around and then applied PP with a sponge. The other I did a gray primer followed by black washes of Tamiya flat black and then PP. I've dull coated some with a Krylon rattle can but didn't like the final finish so dusted with a little more PP. Oh yeah the car had a very thin wash of the black before the PP.
 
Chart tape looks good for strapping but it's very difficult to secure in place. Yeah, the sticky side sticks for a while but after a few weeks its comes loose. I've tried glue but that doesn't stick because of the gummy glue on it.
 
Thanks @TLOC. No pictures other then my memory bank ask a kid being around a little bit of steel. Also a quick search that didn't give any results that I liked
Yeah I hadn't gotten to the trucks or wheels yet.

For the steel I used a styrene "for sale sign" and cut the sheets 8' x 40' or less. The signs are about 0.01" and 0.015". On some hand painted with some acrylic blackish sludge I had laying around and then applied PP with a sponge. The other I did a gray primer followed by black washes of Tamiya flat black and then PP. I've dull coated some with a Krylon rattle can but didn't like the final finish so dusted with a little more PP. Oh yeah the car had a very thin wash of the black before the PP.
Bigfoot13

remember it’s what you think looks right to you. Good choice on materials. Experiment with the process until you find a method that works for you and then continue to use it. I still am working on that. Keep posting your work

Tom
 
Chart tape looks good for strapping but it's very difficult to secure in place. Yeah, the sticky side sticks for a while but after a few weeks its comes loose. I've tried glue but that doesn't stick because of the gummy glue on it.
Ken, you are right about Chart tape. I have found a drop of Alene’s sticky glue, spread out with a tooth pick, on the backside of a load, wait about 30 seconds and then wrap. like the ties I showed above the tape does hold so far for me.

Thanks for the comment
 
Good morning. No, the 2 bay hoppers are not done and there are no other projects being done at the weathering bench. James was in no hurry and with the passing of his younger sister I stopped posting.

The 9 cars all are faded, the first 3 are almost ready for some publicity but not yet.

Between the weathering sessions I have been entertaining the wife and the now visiting sister. I also have been working on my layout. The September auto trip East is off even though we might still overnight to Grand Rapids, Mi. to visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum. All depends on my sister’s medical visits!

enjoy the day
 
We are in Grand Haven Michigan on the shore of the same named lake. Man this is nice. Tomorrow Grand Rapids to the President Ford Museum. So some trains in Wyoming, Michigan but we were going one way and the trains the other.

Terry has been driving which is why we took the SUV instead of my VW. Room for me in the backseat. Man, can my sister and wife talk…

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Good afternoon from the walk-in clinic on Mackinaw Island. We have found out Terry is allergic to bee or wasp bites. She got nailed twice this morning on a buggy ride and the driver took one look after she got hit and asked if she was allergic, said no. The driver said well you are going to the clinic. She is fine, her left hand is about twice it’s size. She got a shot, a Perscription and a demand she stay here till 1PM to make sure she is fine. The buggy driver told us to call when we can leave. No cars on the island.
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So, I am cleaning out my photo library. These are 2 of the 9 Covered Hoppers for James I was working on when we left. The coil car I have worked on for myself over the last 6 weeks or so, I finally liked it. Added the safety stripes, added the coils and got the 2 hoods done the way I like. Now to sell it when I get home
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more later
 
Good afternoon from the walk-in clinic on Mackinaw Island. We have found out Terry is allergic to bee or wasp bites. She got nailed twice this morning on a buggy ride and the driver took one look after she got hit and asked if she was allergic, said no. The driver said well you are going to the clinic. She is fine, her left hand is about twice it’s size. She got a shot, a Perscription and a demand she stay here till 1PM to make sure she is fine. The buggy driver told us to call when we can leave. No cars on the island.View attachment 152105View attachment 152106View attachment 152108View attachment 152110

So, I am cleaning out my photo library. These are 2 of the 9 Covered Hoppers for James I was working on when we left. The coil car I have worked on for myself over the last 6 weeks or so, I finally liked it. Added the safety stripes, added the coils and got the 2 hoods done the way I like. Now to sell it when I get home
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more later


Looks great Tom!
 
We are home for a couple days and we will head up to Ashland, Wi. and then over to the Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin.

Here are the faded cars that did not transfer to my cell phone library. The 2 bay hoppers are next up
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That is just the base shade coat on the right side backdrop building
 
Hi. The pictures are coming back per the guy working on the storage devices. Since I am not driving and still have at least another 90 minutes in the back seat…

These are works in process and are marked to where I think they are:

I like this one done for Alcomotive aka James. He wanted rust, well…

This one needs a matte clear varnish after James approves or asks for more pictures or more work if he doesn’t or wants a change.

Comments are welcome and you know the drill constructive only. Suggestions are welcome7BFBF492-8775-4F70-8294-CC5202FE15A6.jpeg

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Next up

WIP and I need to blend the truck kick up better on the ends of the car. Up close on the bench the ends look great but the camera shows the kick up as a single stripe. The hatches on these cars generally get replaced before they rust out. Fading this green was tougher then any fade I have done in the past 18 months. It just didn’t want to move. Sand car bodies generally don’t rust, though the couplers do, but get dirty. Maybe a bit more weathering on the roof? Over all, I really like it.

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One of mine. I have worked on this on and off the past 6 months or so. Dirty but not to dirty.
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I believe it’s in a good spot now. This is a Scaletrains Rivet Counter and will be for sale. $72 includes shipping will be posted on FB this month. $65 to anyone here. I purchased 1 to keep and 1 to sell.
 
In process

This one has its 1st layers of rust. There will be some heavier spots blended in. Yes the railing on the end cap will be fixed. Fragile Intermountain car but nowhere near as fragile as the Athearn RTR cars
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People I have done weathering for have asked why do you show pictures of Works in Process? Because while I may love it, the client may not. WIP are difficult because they are not done and like the car above with just a single rust layer, the next layer may/will change the appearance. As mentioned before I take pictures for that critical eye view.

I guarantee my work to the clients satisfaction. Most changes if needed are caught by the client during the WIP pictures. If it gets to them and they don’t like it I will take it back and make it right.

Another of mine to be up for sale in October
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There are 2 coil covers for this Walthers Goldline Coil car. This was a trade for a weathered pulp car, one of the few trades I have ever made. I believe I made out on this car. I added the stripes. Weathering this was interesting. The pictures I found of CSTX coil cars on railphotos.com were pretty clean for the year I model, 2005. A few on the weathering FB page I belong to said more rust and dents and scratches for the covers. So I dirtied it some more but could not bring myself to dents and dings. Being sold because I have some of the Scaletrain coil cars now for the fleet. This will be $58 on FB $52 here,look for it in the sell page this month

The coils are not included +$12 if u need them
 
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Final post for today. This is a car I will sadly finish and return to James after I get it right. I love this car. Totally out of my era but this is a beautiful model. Another Intermountain car with a build date of 1954 or 61. Hard to read in the picture and the memory has forgotten the date. Did I say I love this car?

This is a very very early work in process car. Generally these pictures are way to soon except for me. I have the base fade and the 1st primary color right. The streaks, need work, lots of work and my wife looked at it on the bench and said finish it when we get home in a couple weeks. Where the heavier colored panels will be rusted panels when done.That was almost 3 weeks ago. Thankfully James was aware I am slow and he is in no rush.

I show this here now to illustrate that weathering is a process and a process of layers. Each layer can and will change the overall appearance.Hopefully you will be amazed looking at the finished car and looking back on this car.
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Here is the last picture of the day. I posted this in the MRH forums in pictures for this week.

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