What is too shiny?

[troyphoto]

I've noticed that the standards for weathering buildings and rolling stock/locos is a lot like what the wargaming hobby endures: highly varied with no real consensus.

Most gamers go for some weathering at least. Some for mud and muck and detritus and rust etc.

Some not so much

A gamer friend, Scottish Dave, was at a tourney with the designation of the nationals competition for the WWII game were into at the time. During the paint judging, he was complimented on his paintwork by a company exec from the model maker, but was ribbed for having everything "showroom shiny." Scottish Dave said something like "These Grants and Shermans are fresh off the train with some spit-n-polish. Monty hasn't had time to get them dusty yet."

My question to the Model RR community: What's YOUR standard for each type of model? (Building/loco/rolling stock) does the standard vary (building are less weathered than rolling stock?) Where's your happy stage of calling a model "done"?

Post pics if you like. I don't have any of pics buildings or trains yet, but I'm curious as to what is the finished stage for everyone.

Thanks!

 

[cv_acr]

No single "standard" for an entire class.... it will vary from car to car since it varies in reality - a 5-year old car in rather gentle service will be very different than one that's pushing 40 and abused.

Everything gets at least a little though, at minimum wheels and trucks and a light underframe dusting.

 

[santafewillie]

Everything plastic that I use, RTR freight cars, car kits, and structures get a shot of Dull Coat before I insert the glass. I like to weather freight cars and vary the degree based on the build date on the cars. That said, I have probably only done about 25% of my rolling stock so far. Maybe 200 out of 800 right now. I do not use an airbrush as I never got the hang of doing weathering with it, and the setup and cleanup just don't seem worth the time. I use dry-brushing and weathering powders.
As far as structures go, I do some weathering depending on the situation. Small industrial buildings get weathered more than larger ones just because that's the trend of nearby examples. I rarely weather residential structures (other than Dull Coat) except for some runoff staining around chimneys and downspouts.
Here are a few freight car examples.

 

[Selector]

The varnish gets good treatment and more attention to detail for the sake of passengers:

The freights...not so much:

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Troy: I like Willie's rolling stock will give my cars a shot of DullCote. With so many pieces of rolling, I spray them when I work on the cars to replace couplers, wheel-sets or to finally weather the cars. Many of my cars and locomotives are weathered to various degrees and I tend to over weather in many modelers' eyes. I'm starting to weather the cars less drastic since less can be more effective when it comes to weathering. I like Willie's weathered cars that he posted the photo.

My ore car fleet has over 300 ore cars I have done perhaps 60 cars with KD couplers, Chooch ore loads covered with Woodland's ore, metal wheel sets where necessary and weathering. I like beaten up ore cars.


Two Roundhouse ore cars that started out as undecorated black cars and now are highly weathered. The SOO ALCO is also weathered, but it's hard to tell the weathering details for the photo. All photos look better enlarged.

My buildings are weathered to all levels since once a building in real life is finished, rain and pollutants start the weathering process from day one. Buildings near the locomotive action tend to be weathered more than those away form the tracks.


A weathered BB SOO caboose which has different SOO lettering and is numbered #4. It has a warning flasher under the rear over hang. I used oils and Pan Pastels to weather the caboose.


A Proto 2K GP-38 which is highly weathered and has DCC installed. The box car behind the loco is also a BB that has a light over spray of dirt.


A DPM model that is highly weathered and is in its final stage of construction before going on the layout. A wash of India Ink was applied to the motor lines and then Pan Pastels to do the weathering with coats of DullCote between applications of the powders.

Troy, the degree of weathering you do is your choice. I would start with some cheap plastic models to practice weathering on and use different methods of weathering.

Greg

 

[Espeefan]

I don't have a standard. I do like to work from photos of the prototype. Look at any train, at any time, and you'll see stuff that's filthy, stuff that's moderately dirty, and stuff that's right out of the paint shop. I have rolling stock weathered across that spectrum. Some have as little weathering as a coat of clear flat and a little dust on the trucks to PFE reefers that are almost black from passing through tunnels. I do paint all wheels grimy or oily black to kill the metal sheen, and trucks weathered black for the same reason. Just doing the trucks and wheels makes a huge difference to the model's appearance.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

WOW - Everyone's showings looked superb!

Greg - the SOO cab is a real rust bucket!