Weathering and "beating up" scrap gons

[nsconductor]

Bought a couple HO scale ATW Gondolas yesterday for use in my scrap yard once I get the layout built. Since these things will be heavily weathered and beat to peices, I didn't mind that they were the Atlas Trainman brand with less detail. Any ideas of how to slightly bulge the sides a bit? I know some heat will be involved, but don't want to ruin the car beyond use or warp it. Just add some dings and gouges and warp/bulge out the top edges.

 

[URI]

This is a great topic, I have some gons coming for my layout and would love to learn how to get the "dented" look.

 

[jbaakko]

Back on August 5th I released a newsletter for Model Railroad Tips that covers this, is a far less risky way.

The newsletter back issue will go online on the 4th, with the 2nd part being released in the newsletter on the 5th (via email).

However... I can say this...
I used Squadron Green putty and built up the outsides of the car, then use a dremel to grind out the interior.

 

[wright2626]

there was as article that, i think, was in model railroader where someone did the outside of the car in brass/ metal and roughed up the metal. might have been a covered hopper, though.

 

[jdetray]

On one of the forums, someone describes how he used a soldering iron to heat the plastic and deform it, making his gons look well-beaten.

- Jeff

 

[ChevelleSSguy]

There is a video on Youtube on using a butane torch to slightly head the sides and taking a metal rod of some kind and bulging out the sides carefully. Worked pretty slick actually.

 

[Cjcrescent]

On one of the forums, someone describes how he used a soldering iron to heat the plastic and deform it, making his gons look well-beaten.

- Jeff

This was also in an article in MR in the '70s about doing this, using one of the older "fat" bodied soldering irons.

With my luck, I'd just ruin the model.