Weathering Rolling Stock, a Continous thread

[TLOC]

Those look perfect!

Like they have plenty of highway miles on them!

Thank you. That was the issue. Do I go dark to show usage outside the terminals or go light because many chassis don’t leave the intermodal terminals? Just from ship to chassis to ground storage or from train to storage. I was told that in the LA harbor terminals about 30% leave on chassis for delivery. The other 70% go on trains from ships

 

[migalyto]

Thank you. That was the issue. Do I go dark to show usage outside the terminals or go light because many chassis don’t leave the intermodal terminals? Just from ship to chassis to ground storage or from train to storage. I was told that in the LA harbor terminals about 30% leave on chassis for delivery. The other 70% go on trains from ships

That's probably a fair assessment that many don't see a lot of road time and stay in the terminal. Around here on I-39, and I-80 I see a bunch of I hem traveling the interstate.

Even in the LA terminal they would be subject to salty air, so they may weather much differently that say Chicago.

Either way, they look great and would be a great addition to a layout!

 

[CambriaArea51]

Great work as always Tom.

 

[TLOC]

That's probably a fair assessment that many don't see a lot of road time and stay in the terminal. Around here on I-39, and I-80 I see a bunch of I hem traveling the interstate.

Even in the LA terminal they would be subject to salty air, so they may weather much differently that say Chicago.

Either way, they look great and would be a great addition to a layout!

Great work as always Tom.

Thank you guys.

Most of the Intermodal stuff I see here in Wisconsin (not much) is rusted along the 4 corner posts and any steel supports posts at the lift points. Lots of kick up spray on the back but not sure if that’s road spray or track spray. On videos and pictures online I have noticed the containers are definitely more weather damaged then I previously remember. Even the Schneider National, Walmart and JB Hunt containers are seemingly more weathered than before. Amazon Prime though always seem to be spotless.

I’ll get to LA Harbor I hope early Sunday (25th) morning. I want my own pictures for containers that I do. My biggest container commission guys I work for are in Venice, 2 in LA and in Huntington Beach. My biggest container client though is 40 miles SW of me in Wisconsin

 

[moonlighting_racer]

Container talk? Perfect timing. Noob here to both the forum and weathering. It seems like you just jump right in here right?

N scale. I just finished up this batch. The containers are mostly powder with a few painted patches. The final clear coat really knocked down the powder though and I think I should probably do another round of it. I was super happy with them before that and was feeling like I was finally understanding how to use powders well.

Well cars I kept pretty light since they'd have been fairly new in the 90s when I model. They're airbrushed with some general grime (diluted Mirco Mark Tarnished Black) before and after the graffiti (mostly Blair Line) was added. The SP car got quick hit of dust too, but the airbrush wasn't really cooperating that day.

Please critique and give advice. I've only done very low double digit cars so far so I've got a lot to learn.

 

[TLOC]

Container talk? Perfect timing. Noob here to both the forum and weathering. It seems like you just jump right in here right?

N scale. I just finished up this batch. The containers are mostly powder with a few painted patches. The final clear coat really knocked down the powder though and I think I should probably do another round of it. I was super happy with them before that and was feeling like I was finally understanding how to use powders well.

Well cars I kept pretty light since they'd have been fairly new in the 90s when I model. They're airbrushed with some general grime (diluted Mirco Mark Tarnished Black) before and after the graffiti (mostly Blair Line) was added. The SP car got quick hit of dust too, but the airbrush wasn't really cooperating that day.

Please critique and give advice. I've only done very low double digit cars so far so I've got a lot to learn.

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Welcome aboard and yep, jumping in is the thing to do!

1st, your pictures look great. Why, because they look real. Containers are interesting from squeaky clean like Amazon keeps them and Schneider, Walmart, JB Hunt used to. Then the rest like ONE pink containers unless fresh off the boat seem to be fading rarely quickly, others just seem to be getting beat up with more little rust marks.

I like to give each of the mount/locking spots a touch of rust. Even on the Schneider, JbHunt and Walmart containers. Those places were steel rubs against steel. I generally don’t streak that rust. On older containers I would.

Your well cars look great. Maybe a touch more fade on the dark blue CSXT. That is not a critical comment, just my observation. Weathering on any model is completely subjective even when trying to duplicate a picture of a prototype. Nobody can tell your how the blue should look, especially me, that car maybe be years old or was recently rebuilt before the graffiti artist/vandals hit it up.

Graffiti on trains IMOO is a must for someone modeling mid 80’s and later. Your graffiti decals look very nice, not too small and not overwhelming the well car walls. I am a proponent of graffiti decals. I use CircusCitydecals.com and the Blair lines of graffiti. For HO scale autoracks and some longer boxcars I use S scale decals.

You now have a style even after just a few cars. That’s great and even better they look super real! Refine your style and tweak it. You have the track kick up along the well car sides nicely done. I have a tendency when doing well cars to make each one of the group nearly the same. It’s why my wife was reviewing my projects until her health started interfering this year. Your 4 cars are greatly varied and that is tough to learn. Just keep trying different techniques and applications. Use what you have! The newest paints, inks or oils don’t necessarily mean better results and often have a huge different learning curb. Powders and pan pastels take practice trying to figure out how much to apply because you’ll lose some of the coverage when you apply a matte clear finish over them. You’ve found that out already!

Again welcome aboard. I am looking forward to your contributions. The thread is here to show off your work and get constructive critism. That’s from page 1. It’s a good group with lots of good weatherers

Best advice is, if your having fun your doing it right. If it’s not fun, change what your doing

TomO

 

[moonlighting_racer]

Thanks for the kind words and feedback. I've got all the dupes of these containers in queue and the plan is to fade and add a little painted rust around the mounts like you suggested. I'll probably do powders on all these again next time I'm using them too. I actually didn't fade any of what's pictured, though I probably should've given the well cars a light pass, they are a touch bright now that you mention it.

I'm really partial to Blair line graffiti since I think its by far the most realistic looking, but there's something about the texture that still isn't quite right that I can't put my finger on. My commute takes me past the Kearny intermodal terminal in NJ and I see the Gunderson cars in particular get absolutely covered with graffiti, but I've yet to find decals that really capture the look.

These boxcars are earlier works before I discovered the magic of powders. Everything was brush, wash, and airbrush. They're not as good as the well cars, but were very much learning vessels. The RBOX was the first one I did that I felt was actually somewhat good (I must've wiped both sides clean at least twice). I kinda hate it now, since the letters really stand out vs prototypes (I did add a little dust on the bottom of it after someone pointed it out but I don't have pictures with it). The other boxcars followed (the M&B car had a few restarts as well). The M&B is a little too faded, though that does seem fairly prototypical, but I think the Cotton Belt car is decent, though brown is generally flattering.

 

[TLOC]

Thanks for the kind words and feedback. I've got all the dupes of these containers in queue and the plan is to fade and add a little painted rust around the mounts like you suggested. I'll probably do powders on all these again next time I'm using them too. I actually didn't fade any of what's pictured, though I probably should've given the well cars a light pass, they are a touch bright now that you mention it.

I'm really partial to Blair line graffiti since I think its by far the most realistic looking, but there's something about the texture that still isn't quite right that I can't put my finger on. My commute takes me past the Kearny intermodal terminal in NJ and I see the Gunderson cars in particular get absolutely covered with graffiti, but I've yet to find decals that really capture the look.

These boxcars are earlier works before I discovered the magic of powders. Everything was brush, wash, and airbrush. They're not as good as the well cars, but were very much learning vessels. The RBOX was the first one I did that I felt was actually somewhat good (I must've wiped both sides clean at least twice). I kinda hate it now, since the letters really stand out vs prototypes (I did add a little dust on the bottom of it after someone pointed it out but I don't have pictures with it). The other boxcars followed (the M&B car had a few restarts as well). The M&B is a little too faded, though that does seem fairly prototypical, but I think the Cotton Belt car is decent, though brown is generally flattering.

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My issue with the Blair decals are they feel thick to me. I use mainly circuscitydecals.com for a few reasons. IMO they are very well done, they are water slide and are thin. I operated on and currently am helping rebuild Matt Welke (owner) dad’s layout. So there is a connection.

I think we all have stripped back some 1st, second and third efforts on weathering. Before we left for traveling I took 3 year old weathered cars and stripped those back and started re-doing the roofs. When I get back I will re-do the sides of the cars. It’s always something we can find to adjust

When I get a new car I inspect, clean and then fade the car. Personal cars are then weathered when the time slot and urge to do my stuff comes about.

Thanks for showing your work

 

[C&OMtnMan]

Thank you. That was the issue. Do I go dark to show usage outside the terminals or go light because many chassis don’t leave the intermodal terminals? Just from ship to chassis to ground storage or from train to storage. I was told that in the LA harbor terminals about 30% leave on chassis for delivery. The other 70% go on trains from ships

I would think the marine air at the shipping terminals would lend itself to plenty of rust for the chassis that stay there; maybe not much road grime, but plenty of rust.

 

[TLOC]

I would think the marine air at the shipping terminals would lend itself to plenty of rust for the chassis that stay there; maybe not much road grime, but plenty of rust.

Hi, what u say makes sense. I’m not sure how long the containers stay at the terminals though. With there being no terminals close to me in Wisconsin I can’t go see any.

I am excited that I have a chance tomorrow morning early to drive over to Long Beach and check out the container port. One of my local commission clients will pick me up. We will have breakfast with another weathering client and head over to the port. The 2 clients are about 5 miles apart but of course in a big city that means they don’t know each other.

 

[troyphoto]

Hi, what u say makes sense. I’m not sure how long the containers stay at the terminals though. With there being no terminals close to me in Wisconsin I can’t go see any.

I am excited that I have a chance tomorrow morning early to drive over to Long Beach and check out the container port. One of my local commission clients will pick me up. We will have breakfast with another weathering client and head over to the port. The 2 clients are about 5 miles apart but of course in a big city that means they don’t know each other.

Don't forget the 3-6 weeks the containers are on ocean bound ships each transport cycle.

 

[TLOC]

Don't forget the 3-6 weeks the containers are on ocean bound ships each transport cycle.

True words. They just don’t appear at the terminals!

 

[C&OMtnMan]

Container talk? Perfect timing. Noob here to both the forum and weathering. It seems like you just jump right in here right?

N scale. I just finished up this batch. The containers are mostly powder with a few painted patches. The final clear coat really knocked down the powder though and I think I should probably do another round of it. I was super happy with them before that and was feeling like I was finally understanding how to use powders well.

Well cars I kept pretty light since they'd have been fairly new in the 90s when I model. They're airbrushed with some general grime (diluted Mirco Mark Tarnished Black) before and after the graffiti (mostly Blair Line) was added. The SP car got quick hit of dust too, but the airbrush wasn't really cooperating that day.

Please critique and give advice. I've only done very low double digit cars so far so I've got a lot to learn.

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Welcome aboard!!

Hey, are you the fellow I (Utt Buggly on Reddit) recommended to come here from Reddit a few weeks ago?

Glad to have another weathering N Scaler in the forum!

Very nice work on the well cars, btw. (having already commented on your nice work on the containers on Reddit)

 

[C&OMtnMan]

The forum here has been really empty of late. I hope it’s because of vacations or folks being otherwise busy.

Me, I’m in the middle of a vacation right now. And otherwise busy at work.

Railroad-wise, I have been doing a couple of things, focusing on my much-neglected layout, weathering and ballasting rails, testing a method of modeling large rocks, just stuff.

But, I’ve got over a dozen weathering subjects waiting - four wood reefers, two steel boxcars, four coal hoppers, four flatcars.

Looking forward to having something to post here myself before too long.

 

[TLOC]

Hi there! Still no modeling either weathering or layout work. Vacation traveling however is officially over for a few weeks. I am starting to inventory my freight cars. Eventually when I get back to the layout I will need car cards or switch lists but 1st I need to know what I have.

I started with freight cars that are from the Michigan Interstate (MCIS) and its corporate family of which the Wisconsin Interstate (my freelance railroad) is part of. I am also taking individual pictures of each car for possible adding to a car card if I go that way. But it’s also going on the inventory pdf. to make life easier for my survivors to dispose of my layout and rolling stock.

So to get a bit of action on the layout I actually put together a 9 car train. Maybe the 1st train run since April 2025 on the layout. The Sd40f is the last remaining diesel of the Wisconsin River Valley Railroad (my Facebook page is named the Wisconsin River Valley and Terminal Railroad in HO scale)

4 of the 9 cars in train PMY2x to SPY-CN are from HomeShops. There is a 5th HomeShops car not part of PMY2x, a heavy duty flat car. The other 5 cars are direct buys from the MCIS

Locomotives were an easy inventory! 6 here and one at the painter. There are 3 pre-orders.

Next up will be cars from the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (W&UM) and the rest of the HomeShops fleet of cars

Even though this is normally a weathering page I am looking for some advice! How do I figure how many freight cars my railroads (WRVT & the WCIS) should own? How many foreign roads cars should be part of the mix? The WRVT is a switching railroad that evolves around a paper mill in Central Wisconsin. Figure 50 cars on the layout at any time

Tom

 

[traiNscale]

hey tom

iam defenitly not the right person to answer this question, because i dont really know how it works overseas, but i would ask my self, how big are the factorys around my layout? are those small to medium size fabrics or big ones? so because of the size, i would think my railroad would buy more or less selfowned boxcars.

that would be my way

cheers
Marco

 

[ctclibby]

Hi there! Still no modeling either weathering or layout work. Vacation traveling however is officially over for a few weeks. I am starting to inventory my freight cars. Eventually when I get back to the layout I will need car cards or switch lists but 1st I need to know what I have.

I started with freight cars that are from the Michigan Interstate (MCIS) and its corporate family of which the Wisconsin Interstate (my freelance railroad) is part of. I am also taking individual pictures of each car for possible adding to a car card if I go that way. But it’s also going on the inventory pdf. to make life easier for my survivors to dispose of my layout and rolling stock.

So to get a bit of action on the layout I actually put together a 9 car train. Maybe the 1st train run since April 2025 on the layout. The Sd40f is the last remaining diesel of the Wisconsin River Valley Railroad (my Facebook page is named the Wisconsin River Valley and Terminal Railroad in HO scale)

4 of the 9 cars in train PMY2x to SPY-CN are from HomeShops. There is a 5th HomeShops car not part of PMY2x, a heavy duty flat car. The other 5 cars are direct buys from the MCIS

Locomotives were an easy inventory! 6 here and one at the painter. There are 3 pre-orders.

Next up will be cars from the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (W&UM) and the rest of the HomeShops fleet of cars
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Even though this is normally a weathering page I am looking for some advice! How do I figure how many freight cars my railroads (WRVT & the WCIS) should own? How many foreign roads cars should be part of the mix? The WRVT is a switching railroad that evolves around a paper mill in Central Wisconsin. Figure 50 cars on the layout at any time

Tom

Tom: Maybe think about it in a different way? Declare your railroad(s) a bridge route for a couple class 1's, most run-though with a smattering of car exchanges for paper and any other industry in different locations. Now you can run just about anything you want as to cars/power. As to the number of cars for your railroad(s) - how busy is paper? Other industries? The busier the industries are, the more cars you need. I seem to remember you already have staging - half the battle is done.

L8r

 

[TLOC]

hey tom

iam defenitly not the right person to answer this question, because i dont really know how it works overseas, but i would ask my self, how big are the factorys around my layout? are those small to medium size fabrics or big ones? so because of the size, i would think my railroad would buy more or less selfowned boxcars.

that would be my way

cheers
Marco

Tom: Maybe think about it in a different way? Declare your railroad(s) a bridge route for a couple class 1's, most run-though with a smattering of car exchanges for paper and any other industry in different locations. Now you can run just about anything you want as to cars/power. As to the number of cars for your railroad(s) - how busy is paper? Other industries? The busier the industries are, the more cars you need. I seem to remember you already have staging - half the battle is done.

L8r

Thanks Marco and Todd. The Wisconsin River Valley and Terminal RR is over all a switching layout. The WRVT RR started out ( fictionally) as a local switching operation after the Wisconsin Central was merged/purchased/overwelmed by the Canadian National. CN took over in October 2001 in the real world and the glorious WC with its great equipment SD45’s up the wazzo and superior customer service slowly over the next few years went away. In 2001 the WC was serving 9 paper mills just along the Wisconsin River in Central Wisconsin from Rhineland to Nekossa on the Valley Sub to a connection with CPKC in New Lisbon, Wi. I modeled the northern end of the Valley Sub between Junction City and Wausau. I modeled 1 large (25 to 35 spots) papermill, a transload facility (4-6 spot), a small locomotive service facility (6-8 diesels), a ethanol load out (4-7) spots, a plastic extrusion plant (3-5 spots), a cold storage facility (4-6 spots) and a large grain terminal (18 spots). I teamed up with another fictional railroad, the Michigan Interstate that was creating a route from Michigan to Texas. So I have fictional access to bothbNpMichigan to the north and east but also south to the Gulf of always Mexico. The CN joins the Valley Sub in Junction City and heads east to Chicago or Northwest to Duluth Superior.

What I am asking is should say 20 to 30% (or more) of my rail cars be labeled for my railroads name and the rest of the cars be other railroads. That is the reason for my inventory. To see what I have. I know I have around 105 cars. I am seeing what road names they are in. While I know I have too many ethanol and molten sulfur tank cars this will also help me figure out how many I really need. During a 3 hour session broken up into 2-90 minute segments we have been moving about 25 cars per segment with 2-2 person crews. Not a big layout nor is it crammed with track but it’s a good work out for the 2 crews! I do rotate cars on and off the layout so over 3 sessions all cars will have been run on the layout.

 

[moonlighting_racer]

What do y'all do for fades? I've tried a few different whites, and most recently Createx Transparent White, and still ending up with really blotchy/frosty/speckled looking coverage on dark cars. I dilute. I make light passes. I thought this car came out ok (and the well behind it too), the pic makes it look worse than it does in person, but then when I sprayed the darker car behind it, it looked like I dusted it with flour. I have a few darker containers I did a week ago that I'm similarly unhappy with. I'm really frustrated and its killed my motivation lately. Tell me your secrets.

 

[C&OMtnMan]

What do y'all do for fades? I've tried a few different whites, and most recently Createx Transparent White, and still ending up with really blotchy/frosty/speckled looking coverage on dark cars. I dilute. I make light passes. I thought this car came out ok (and the well behind it too), the pic makes it look worse than it does in person, but then when I sprayed the darker car behind it, it looked like I dusted it with flour. I have a few darker containers I did a week ago that I'm similarly unhappy with. I'm really frustrated and its killed my motivation lately. Tell me your secrets. View attachment 222432

Yo, Racer,

The easiest and most consistent fade I have used is to:

1. Use an airbrush
2. Mix in a small amount of body color with the white for the fade..

Now that is in addition to other good fading/weathering practice:

1. Apply a coat of flat clear (some precede this step by cleaning the model first) with either a flat lacquer (like Testors Dullcote) or Tamiya XF-86 clear flat (an acrylic but is a methanol-based acrylic, so you have to thin it with the right stuff.))

The flat coat provides good bite for the fade coat, and helps to resolve the blotchiness you’re getting.

2. Apply your fade.

The mixing in of a small amount of the body color helps eliminate the “frosted” look you’ve had problems with. Also, it serves to give lettering the aged look of when they deteriorate/fade to the point of letting the base color show through.

3. Apply a clear coat over the fade if you like the results. A lacquer or methanol acrylic like mentioned above will serve as a protective barrier for handling or for further weathering work.

For a finish clearcoat, use a flat.

If you’re going to do further weathering on the car, use either a flat or a gloss, depending on what techniques and materials will be used in the following steps.

You don’t need a “transparent” color to achieve a good fade. A thin coat of opaque color is more than good enough.

I’m not familiar with the Createx brand, and haven’t really heard of other model railroaders using it. That doesn’t mean it won’t work; I just am not aware of it.