Rolling Stock Road Grime (for underbody and wheel splash)

[Toolbelt]

I realize there are likely 1000's of choices, if one had to pick one, what would everybody's go to road grime colour be, for rolling stock? Straight out of the bottle or a custom mix? Dark, medium or light shade? A grey, or brown variation? Would you wrap it slightly onto the lower body edge or fade it half way up?

 

[santafewillie]

I'd look to see if I could find pictures of the real thing on the Internet and try to mimic that.

 

[moonlighting_racer]

Depends on the car. Anything high set (hoppers, tanks) gets some grimy blacks underneath and then a dusting of earths as you move up the sides. Box cars I usually just do earths. Prototype pictures are best as always.

 

[Toolbelt]

I'd look to see if I could find pictures of the real thing on the Internet and try to mimic that.

I seem to be colour challenged at duplicating prototype colours, after making several failed attempts. Too red, too black, too brown, too light, too dark, etc etc. Am just trying to get a good starting point which I can tweak as needed.

 

[Toolbelt]

Depends on the car. Anything high set (hoppers, tanks) gets some grimy blacks underneath and then a dusting of earths as you move up the sides. Box cars I usually just do earths. Prototype pictures are best as always.

A grimy black would be a brownish black?

 

[Frenchie]

A grimy black would be a brownish black?

Grimy black means dirty black. At a time Polly S had a great "weathered black" which could be used as a grimy black. Actually it was a shade of dark grey.
Mixing dark grey with some very light grey is one way. More or less light grey in the mix will give different variations you'll keep in different bottles for future use.
Adding a tiny quantity of light sand colour will give another variation, but very very little.
Avoid pure black as a base paint, a spot of black looks like a "hole".
Use only flat paint.

 

[Marlin39]

Grimy black means dirty black. At a time Polly S had a great "weathered black" which could be used as a grimy black. Actually it was a shade of dark grey.
Mixing dark grey with some very light grey is one way. More or less light grey in the mix will give different variations you'll keep in different bottles for future use.
Adding a tiny quantity of light sand colour will give another variation, but very very little.
Avoid pure black as a base paint, a spot of black looks like a "hole".
Use only flat paint.

The closest product I have found to the old Floquil Grimy Black is Vallejo's "Panzer Grey"

 

[Toolbelt]

The closest product I have found to the old Floquil Grimy Black is Vallejo's "Panzer Grey"

I have AK Rubber Black and Tamiya Dark Iron but I think they're much too dark. I have blacks and whites and greys and browns to make an appealing colour. I'll check out Panzer Grey when I hit the hobby store next. Thanks.

 

[TLOC]

I realize there are likely 1000's of choices, if one had to pick one, what would everybody's go to road grime colour be, for rolling stock? Straight out of the bottle or a custom mix? Dark, medium or light shade? A grey, or brown variation? Would you wrap it slightly onto the lower body edge or fade it half way up?

Match the road grime coloring to the locale the car typically travels through. You could just pick 1 color for all but where is the fun in that?

I rarely apply any color straight out of the bottle. I’ll add a drop or 2 of yellow, gray or blue color to almost any color. Formulas are by feel for me. I thin everything

BUT you want a go to grime mix! So let’s go there, my suggestion

Hull brown with a few drops of a sandy earth color applied as a wash. Meaning maybe 70% of the appropriate thinner and 20% of the sandy color and 10% of hull brown. Spray the mix at about 15-18psi. Spray let dry just a few minutes and spray until you’re satisfied. This is applied weathering after the car body has been faded and dried overnight

Heavier at the bottom. Rust starts lighter at the top but accumulates as darker at the bottom of the car, so does grime

I have used Tamiya dark iron as it’s a great base color for weathering. Sea gull green by Tamiya will lighten it up as will Xf2 White. But if you use white it can turn dark iron to a blotchy gray

 

[moonlighting_racer]

If you think Dark Iron is too dark, try their Olive Drab. I used the last of my Dark Iron a couple weeks ago and have been subbing olive drab with a dash of true black instead. Like TLOC I rarely use colors straight out of the bottle. I will usually mix in a little earth tone (Depot Buff maybe? I don't have my paints in front of me) or a touch of Red Brown depending on what I'm going for that day.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I realize there are likely 1000's of choices, if one had to pick one, what would everybody's go to road grime colour be, for rolling stock? Straight out of the bottle or a custom mix? Dark, medium or light shade? A grey, or brown variation? Would you wrap it slightly onto the lower body edge or fade it half way up?

If I was just using a straight paint, I would say "burnt umber". But I always mix it up a bit, lighten it with tan, or darken with black. Seldom go with redish. Lots of people think rust = red, but I've found very few situations where the red is closer to brown. The other thing to remember is that nothing natural is ever a solid single color. Always has variations of tone and shade.

 

[Toolbelt]

If you think Dark Iron is too dark, try their Olive Drab. I used the last of my Dark Iron a couple weeks ago and have been subbing olive drab with a dash of true black instead. Like TLOC I rarely use colors straight out of the bottle. I will usually mix in a little earth tone (Depot Buff maybe? I don't have my paints in front of me) or a touch of Red Brown depending on what I'm going for that day.

I tried the Dark Iron of some side frames but I found it to have a bit of blueish/purple in it to my eyes. I switched it out for Burnt Rubber on those and I'm happy with it. I'm a huge fan of Red Brown as I used it around the rims of some open hoppers. Kinda has a brownish, rusty, primer look that doesn't jump out at you. I originally tried a Burnt Umber on some loco side frames/fuel tank but it was way too red/orange. I've used that colour in oils for rusting effects and it looks great (to me). Some colours look good today and terrible tomorrow. lol

 

[moonlighting_racer]

Oh for rolling stock trucks I use a roughly 50/50 blend of Vallejo Tarnished Black and whichever rust color I feel like that day. Usually don't actively mix them, just put them contacting each other in the cup and dip from there. Dark iron is much more of a road grime color, particularly if I'm airbrushing, but I still usually lightly cut it with something else. Its perfect on black or blue painted locomotive trucks and tanks.

 

[Toolbelt]

Dark iron

It's probably my eyes but all I saw was dark bluish undertones to it on my side frames. In all fairness, maybe it was the road film I later misted them with, which just didn't seem to work with it. I stripped them and started again from scratch using AK Black Rubber with a light, but coarse dusting of AK Tan Earth, and I think the two work together well. My dilemma now is, do I take it further and detail a few rust spots, and maybe a bit of weathering powder, or do I quit while I'm ahead? lol

 

[Iron Horseman]

It's probably my eyes but all I saw was dark bluish undertones to it on my side frames. In all fairness, maybe it was the road film I later misted them with, which just didn't seem to work with it. I stripped them and started again from scratch using AK Black Rubber with a light, but coarse dusting of AK Tan Earth, and I think the two work together well. My dilemma now is, do I take it further and detail a few rust spots, and maybe a bit of weathering powder, or do I quit while I'm ahead? lol

That is always the question. Does one take a wonderful weathering job and take it one "delapidation to far" and ruin the whole thing, or is it the one additional touch that transforms it from wonderful to prize winning?

 

[Toolbelt]

That is always the question. Does one take a wonderful weathering job and take it one "delapidation to far" and ruin the whole thing, or is it the one additional touch that transforms it from wonderful to prize winning?

I think the trick is to make it look natural, with a blending of techniques so that nothing stands out. I may add just a hint of some weathering powder and call it a day. I'm probably up to 4 hrs in total on one set of trucks. lol

 

[moonlighting_racer]

I love powder and use it everywhere. I'd dust any locomotive trucks with a darker rust powder at minimum. It adds sooooo much texture and will bring out details.

 

[Toolbelt]

Yes the texture really adds another layer of realism.

 

[AirbrushNo5]

I mix Tamiya paints… Nato Black, Nato Brown, and Flat Red…
About a 40 / 50 / 10 ratio… it’s not critical.. Linoleum Deck Brown and Flat Black can be used in the mix as well

 

[moonlighting_racer]

Sharing some WIP. This is Tamiya Olive Drab with about 50% alcohol, which was probably a little too much as you can see a few small runs (the other side of the PS hopper is worse). It's perfect on the pink but might be a touch green on the gray.

As an aside, the Tamiya clear yet again found some finger prints... the 2nd of the 2 gray hoppers is definitely getting some patch panels. I'm so torn, the Tamiya goes on so nicely but is like a magnet for fingerprints. The Microlux is so much more tolerant but doesn't cover as evenly and occasionally decides to not adhere at all.