Weathering Rolling Stock, a Continous thread

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I switched out the seed plant today which called up a few “lost” cars from staging.
Here’s a few with various degrees of grunge on their way up.

Accurail ACF showing its heritage:
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Athearn FMC with light weathering:
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A Walthers car done up by a friend:
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Another Accurail car with moderate grunge:
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TLOC said:
Are you thinking about AIM powders now owned and produced by Monroe

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If that's what was posted awhile back, then yes. I don't recall if they were the ones shown in the tall, square containers or not.

I will for sure pick up some PP at some point, But I wanted to give the "One step weathering system" a try, because I feel it will be very similar to the Tamiya powder, and I like how that stuff lays out.
CambriaArea51 said:
Welcome Will. Youtube railfan videos are a great source for weathering. Videos that show the tops of cars is helpful too. I find drone and overpass shots are a great help.
Always remember no 2 cars weather the same and no 2 sides weather the same.
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Thanks for the welcome!

I'll do you one better. Some people frown upon them, but as long as they aren't trying to damage anything, I don't mind. I watch A LOT of trainhopping. Personal favorite is RanOutOnARail on Youtube. Owen has trainhopped most of the USA and Mexico. Absolutely beautiful views, including train surfing which gives you the best possible views of the tops of cars, without working for the railroad, or trainhopping yourself. Suppose drones as well, like you mentioned.

Another is Jumping Off A Cliff. An older gentleman IIRC knocking out some of his bucket list. You guys might enjoy his content.

One I miss dearly is Hobo Shoestring. Sadly he passed away not too long ago. He was one with old stories and generally just a great guy.

7 or so years back Jim Stobe, AKA Stobe the Hobo passed away. He was the most eccentric of the bunch. He would play his own piano renditions of classic hits as the background music to some of his videos. Stobe was, controversial, to say the least. an avid drinker, but was fun to watch.

Back to the topic, you all mention Boomer; Love Boomer Diorama. Dusty is my spirit animal. I'm using his warehouse building video to build something similar on my layout.

I often do both sides slightly different. I don't think you could match them exactly, even if you tried, quite frankly. I am also another who does not tag\graffiti both sides of the cars. Though I did cover a loco in graffiti and weather it some. More of a one off thing, inspired by some of the tagged locomotives out there, and the fact that I lifted the decals trying to patch it out. It's a dummy, so makes for a great unpowered DPU.

-RC Perspective

Edit - Trainhopping is on my bucket list. As a "leave no trace" camper I personally see no issue with it. It is very glorified in the videos, but you absolutely cannot beat the views.
 
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Rico said:
I switched out the seed plant today which called up a few “lost” cars from staging.
Here’s a few with various degrees of grunge on their way up.

Accurail ACF showing its heritage:
View attachment 196623
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I absolutely LOVE this car. I had a similar one, but instead of using it on my layout, I graffitied my Niece's name on it as an easter present. Only pencil and flat clear, so she can color it if she likes. Told her to bring it back the next time she comes down and we can weather it together. She's 6. Absolutely loved it.
1723943558979.png

Only my second tag on a train car.

-RC Perspective
 
RC Perspective said:
7 or so years back Jim Stobe, AKA Stobe the Hobo passed away. He was the most eccentric of the bunch. He would play his own piano renditions of classic hits as the background music to some of his videos. Stobe was, controversial, to say the least. an avid drinker, but was fun to watch.
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Ironically, I believe he got killed by getting hit by a train if I remember correctly.

I do like the train hopping videos, have watched all the ones you mention, and a couple others. I would never do it, but watching them I catch myself dreaming! :D
 
RC Perspective said:
And also, If you guys want pictures of active rolling stock for weathering purposes, I work right next to the Wildwood, FL CSX yard.

Lots of Ballast hoppers, grainers, autoracks, etc. Crazy amount of graffiti.
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Heck yea, we love photos!

Start a thread and do a photo-dump of all the various equipment. I am a present day modeler, so I love graffiti. I know its a hot topic with some, but its an essential part of present day modeling.
 
migalyto said:
Ironically, I believe he got killed by getting hit by a train if I remember correctly.

I do like the train hopping videos, have watched all the ones you mention, and a couple others. I would never do it, but watching them I catch myself dreaming! :D
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Almost. He was pretty drunk and was hopping off, and the straps on his pack got caught on the train and he went under.

I daydream it lol. Usually, it's a train running the loop, while trainhopping videos play on the PC, while I work on the trains. It is quite relaxing.

-RC Perspective
 
migalyto said:
Heck yea, we love photos!

Start a thread and do a photo-dump of all the various equipment. I am a present day modeler, so I love graffiti. I know its a hot topic with some, but its an essential part of present day modeling.
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Will do. I'll have to make a trip out there on my next day off to really get some pics. There is also well used, damaged equiment on a siding, one of which happens to be a Conrail gondola.

There is also a super sick graffiti piece on a grainer that I am hoping is still out there.

-RC Perspective
 


migalyto said:
Ironically, I believe he got killed by getting hit by a train if I remember correctly.
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I read on Trainorders website years ago that his backpack got caught on an Amtrak railcar as he was crossing a bridge and he was dragged for a few miles before finally being dropped at the side of the tracks. If I recall, his body was not found for several more hours. But I also had read that he was getting off a train. We'll probably never really know, but getting off a train is more plausible unless it was night and the passengers never saw him.
 
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santafewillie said:
I read on Trainorders website years ago that his backpack got caught on an Amtrak railcar as he was crossing a bridge and he was dragged for a few miles before finally being dropped at the side of the tracks. If I recall, his body was not found for several more hours. But I also had read that he was getting off a train. We'll probably never really know, but getting off a train is more plausible unless it was night and the passengers never saw him.
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No, actually I think you're right initially. I looked back on the Vagabond sub on reddit about 6 years and found several matching descriptions.

As far as I can tell, he was crossing a bridge when a high speed Amtrak came through, he most likely tried to tuck to the side as best he could, but the train caught his pack. He was an extremely experienced hopper, but also a drinker.

All I had come across before, were a few stories that he was hopping off, and his pack got caught.

-RC Perspective
 
OK, here are a few more. These were some of my first, with my first use of oil paint and weathering powder simulating rust spots and streaks. These are a couple TYCO cars, older than me, that I converted to body mounted Kadee 148s and screw on bogies using pieces from a parts sprue and a 2/56 tap. (I have also designed 3D printable glue in inserts specifically for converting Talgo snap in bogie mounts to screw in. If anyone is interested in a link to that let me know. I don't charge anything for my designs.)

Weathering was done initially with Vallejo Smoke airbrushed. Then brown Tamiya panel liner on the roof and details, followed up with the oil paint dot and drag with Raw Umber, topped with Tamiya weathering powder in Rust. Cleared with Mr Super Matt Clear in light, dusting coats.

Fun Fact; I experimented and left the dust that had accumulated on the top of the cars, and applied the panel liner directly to it. They're TYCO cars after all.
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-RC Perspective
 
Rico said:
I switched out the seed plant today which called up a few “lost” cars from staging.
Here’s a few with various degrees of grunge on their way up.

Accurail ACF showing its heritage:
View attachment 196623

Athearn FMC with light weathering:
View attachment 196624

A Walthers car done up by a friend:
View attachment 196625

Another Accurail car with moderate grunge:
View attachment 196626
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Love the weathering on the Cargill hopper. I just picked up a Branchline Kit car for Cargill Foods ICMX 1128 same color paint.
 
TLOC said:
Opinions please yes you like no you don’t. If you say no, no real need on this posting to explain your answer. If can offer something constructive that’s good and the REAL PURPOSE OF THIS WHOLE THREAD but I’m just looking for a yes or no.

Respond with top car: yes or no
bottom: yes or no

Cars have build dates of 2007 to 2011. The modeler models 2020. So a possible useage of 13 years to 9 years. I will share my response for both cars on Monday and also the modeler’s choiceView attachment 196405
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Yes on the top one.

No on bottom one.
 
One last off topic detail I just now learned about Stobe and Owen(RanOutOnARail), and it explains why Owen is a personal favorite; Owen met Stobe in 2017, shortly before his death. Owen started trainhopping around that time. They meet in this video of Stobe's, towards the end.

I was watching through Stobe's videos these last couple days. Discovered he went right by my house on the CSX S-line.

-RC Perspective
 
Well, my decal sets got hung up in Atlanta (Atlanta The Great Devourer Of Regional Postal Shipments), but arrived yesterday.

Hmm. Small. (But it’s N scale; it’s unreasonable to expect otherwise.

Decal setting solutions are out for delivery today. They are coming from an Amazon warehouse 45 miles from here, and thus did not require sacrificial offering to the postal beast.

Wish me luck…
 
C&OMtnMan said:
Well, my decal sets got hung up in Atlanta (Atlanta The Great Devourer Of Regional Postal Shipments), but arrived yesterday.

Hmm. Small. (But it’s N scale; it’s unreasonable to expect otherwise.

Decal setting solutions are out for delivery today. They are coming from an Amazon warehouse 45 miles from here, and thus did not require sacrificial offering to the postal beast.

Wish me luck…
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No luck needed. Worst though is you need patience and a plan
 


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