Weathering

[Toolbelt]

What's the general consensus on weathering freight/locos? What percentage of train hobbyists weather their new acquisitions? As weathering styles can be a bit of a personal taste thing, does weathering make cars more difficult to sell or buy? Does it limit the market when selling, or become an added criteria when deciding to purchase stock? How many just spray a matt clear on rolling stock and call it a day? Do most remove trucks/couplers during the weathering/flat coat process?

 

[migalyto]

Im not sure if it helps or hurts selling. I do see the well done freight cars can command a pretty high dollar when selling. I don't
buy my rolling stock with the intention of selling it, I purchase it to use., so Ive never thought of it that way.

If you haven't seen this thread, take a look. Its a wealth of information on weathering techniques and general information.

Thread 'Weathering Rolling Stock, a Continous thread'

Feb 28, 2022

Hello fellow modelers with interests in painting and weathering. This will be my new spot. Instead of starting a new thread for each weathering project, they will be here. Pictures of rolling stock will be here. At this time I do not do locomotives.

I encourage you to give Constructive Criticism and hope you show some of YOUR work with descriptions of what you did, what you used, etc…

I am not showing any of the 51 pulpwood cars I have weathered since October, 2021. I have kept 16. As I have taken on a project for a modeler of 15 pulp wood cars with no loads. You may get sick of seeing...

• TLOC
• Replies: 2,805
• Forum: Painting, Detailing and Weathering

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Here is the loco thread.

Thread 'Weathering Engines a Continuous thread.'

Feb 16, 2023

This is to go along with the rolling stock thread. Engines will be the topic here. Information, tips, and how to are welcome. Everyone does weathering different, no right or wrong.

• CambriaArea51
• Replies: 500
• Forum: Painting, Detailing and Weathering

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[SD40 Jim]

In my experience, collectors and newbs want unweathered, like factory new. Experienced MRRers prefer weathered if they don't want to do it themselves.

When I was selling my old layout, a newb couple came to look at it. She said, "they're all dirty". He made a offer less than half my asking price. I showed them the door.

 

[Toolbelt]

I do see the well done freight cars

I think the key words are "well done". I've seen a few at train shows where weathering was a detriment. Since re-entering the hobby, I've focused on obtaining new stock (mostly new/used like new) but I somehow forgot that my planned future layout will basically be a small 4 x 8 with a wing, and I think I'm up to approaching 60 cars or more now. At some point I may need to thin the herd, but would like to start weathering as well.

 

[migalyto]

I think the key words are "well done". I've seen a few at train shows where weathering was a detriment.

Oh, absolutely. I have seen some on eBay that looked dreadfully done. I have also seen some very well done ones go for an insane
amount of money!

At some point I may need to thin the herd, but would like to start weathering as well.

Best thing to do is when your at the train shows is pick up some older Tyco cars for a couple of bucks and practice on them first.

 

[Toolbelt]

In my experience, collectors and newbs want unweathered, like factory new. Experienced MRRers prefer weathered if they don't want to do it themselves.

When I was selling my old layout, a newb couple came to look at it. She said, "they're all dirty". He made a offer less than half my asking price. I showed them the door.

I think I'm more a newb than experienced, at least as far as acquisitions go. I've got quite a few tank cars which all seem to have a somewhat shiny clean black surface, so those will be my first guinea pigs. I have some modelling experience, from decades ago, so at least I'm not starting out from scratch.

 

[Toolbelt]

pick up some older Tyco cars

The original inherited set was Life Like so I have 3 or 4 cars for practice.

 

[migalyto]

I think I'm more a newb than experienced, at least as far as acquisitions go. I've got quite a few tank cars which all seem to have a somewhat shiny clean black surface, so those will be my first guinea pigs. I have some modelling experience, from decades ago, so at least I'm not starting out from scratch.

Thats why I linked the weathering thread. There is everything in there from first timers to the ones who actually do it for other people
as a side gig. When you get started, post in that thread and the experienced ones will give you pointer and are always there to help.

 

[SD40 Jim]

I think the key words are "well done". I've seen a few at train shows where weathering was a detriment. Since re-entering the hobby, I've focused on obtaining new stock (mostly new/used like new) but I somehow forgot that my planned future layout will basically be a small 4 x 8 with a wing, and I think I'm up to approaching 60 cars or more now. At some point I may need to thin the herd, but would like to start weathering as well.

Yeah I've seen a lot those 4 year old finger painted cars at shows and never saw any of them sell.
If you like weathering then you will get good at it. I used to do before and after photos and I could see my progress.

 

[Colorado Midland Modeler]

I'd say weathering is largely a matter of personal preference. I personally prefer lightly weathered for my locomotives. For diesels, I like soot around the exhaust stacks and vents for stuff like radiators, as can be seen on these three ALCOs.

For steam I like soot on just the stack, or soot on the stack, smokebox, and firebox depending on the engine. Here's some examples.

I haven't really done anything on my freight cars, since I'm not sure about how "dirty" I want to make them.

 

[TLOC]

I am a weathering guy. No car touches the layout if it doesn’t at least have a spray of matte clear on it to knock out the shine. Mike, MIGALYTO was kind to link you to the continuous thread I have on weathering freight cars and to CambriaArea51’s thread on locomotives. There are other excellent threads on weathering so check out the weathering forum

The nice thing about weathering, it’s very easy to change

 

[Toolbelt]

No car touches the layout if it doesn’t at least have a spray of matte clear on it to knock out the shine.

Do you remove the trucks/couplers or just leave them in place and give the body a quick spray?

 

[TLOC]

If I’m just getting the car on the layout I will leave everything on and just spray. It doesn’t take much matte clear to kill the sheen of new plastic

If I am weathering the car the wheels, couplers and trucks are removed from the car. In most cases the wheels are then replaced and I use the MicroMart wheel tuner on the trucks. I hand paint the wheel faces and spray a base color on the truck frames and couplers. All couplers are changed to Kadee 158’s or whichever coupler Kadee has to fit. All tank cars get shelf couplers as I model modern

 

[Rico]

I weather most of my cars unless the built date matches my time frame, then as Tom pointed out they just get a dull finish.

 

[santafewillie]

What's the general consensus on weathering freight/locos?

I am in favor of weathering. At a minimum, every freight car that I own has a spray of Dull Coat or clear matte from a rattle can on it. Trucks, wheels, couplers and all. I have weathered about 40% of my fleet of 800 cars and I try to get 1-2/month now. Every so often, I will do 6 or more at one sitting if I am in that mode. I don't have many "rust-buckets", but most are lightly weathered. I use dry-brushing and weathering powders mainly...haven't gotten the nerve to use the airbrush yet. My loco fleet is mostly untouched right now, although I have done some darkening around fans and grills on some CF7's. Time is my main hold-up, as it takes me longer now because I am being more careful. Like Rico, I don't weather cars with a build date near the end of my modeling era. I am also not concerned about selling anything, that will be up to my heirs and I won't care!

 

[TLOC]

I am a bit different from Rico and Willie. I do weather and sell my equipment in addition to taking on weathering commissions.

As I mentioned previously no rail car sees the layout after the out of box inspection with out a matte clear spray to kill the sheen. Weathering is a skill of great restraint. I love a good rust bucket but I truly understand there are few rust buckets in a train if any at all. Light weathering in a train is mainly fades and some kick up spray. Medium is a heavier grime on the sidewalls with a bit more spray kicked up from the roadbed. The end panels may have a darker kick up from the wheels. That would make a good mix for a train along with maybe 1 just matte clear coated car to kill the sheen. But always the truck frames are dirty and wheel faces rusted.

A couple things in my continuous freight car weathering thread and in CambriaArea51’s thread is both of us stress there is no right or wrong way to weather. You just need to bear in mind water flows down and so should your weathering. Spray from the rail bed is the exception but look at real images and you’ll see the flow..

Do a few cars, starting by just killing the sheen, dirtying the truck frames and rusting the wheel faces. Have fun doing it. If it’s not fypun, walk away and come back another day.

But as Nike says “just do it”

 

[Toolbelt]

mainly fades and some kick up spray.

That's going to be my focus too and maybe the odd rust chip. Would you suggest to always start the process with a matt clear, or apply the matt after weathering to protect it......as a general rule? My problem is, maybe 70+% of my fleet are brand new cars. The factory sheen on the tankers at least, to varying degrees, has a glossy finish, and of course they're perfectly clean. I just want to establish a baseline of minimum weathering, and then maybe select a small number for slightly heavier wear.

 

[Selector]

I'm your run-of-the-mill 'modeler' who doesn't really model...per se...but I do strive for realism. I mean, if you're going to go to the expense and effort of making terrain, planting trees, placing utility poles and telegraph poles, plunking a few structures here and there, you might as well at least try your hand at improving the 'realism' here and there. I do that on my engines, and I try to photograph my results to see if the camera will show me what I'm missing or what I've mucked up. Nothing like getting a camera down to 'eye level' on your layout and seeing what it can show you. Most of us are surprised, both at how realistic some aspects are and how absolutely unconvincing others are.

I spent some time cloning smoke and steam effects, and I used a white craft acrylic paint wash to dull the entire structure.

The trees don't really work (they're Achillea or Yarrow), but I think I done good on the caboose.

 

[TLOC]

That's going to be my focus too and maybe the odd rust chip. Would you suggest to always start the process with a matt clear, or apply the matt after weathering to protect it......as a general rule? My problem is, maybe 70+% of my fleet are brand new cars. The factory sheen on the tankers at least, to varying degrees, has a glossy finish, and of course they're perfectly clean. I just want to establish a baseline of minimum weathering, and then maybe select a small number for slightly heavier wear.

I’ve done it both ways. That’s a you decision as to how you want to start the car. But I always finish with a matte clear.

If you’re looking at a baseline, here’s my thoughts.

Inspect the car
Clean the car, light soapy water
Remove the wheels and trucks
Tune the wheels
Weather the side frames
Weather the wheel faces, if it’s a tank car also Weather the axle
Put the wheels back into the side frames
Rust the couplers
Put wheels and side frames back on the car
Spray the entire car with matte clear, let dry 24 hours
Use car on the layout

Have fun

 

[Toolbelt]

I'm your run-of-the-mill 'modeler' who doesn't really model...per se...but I do strive for realism. I mean, if you're going to go to the expense and effort of making terrain, planting trees, placing utility poles and telegraph poles, plunking a few structures here and there, you might as well at least try your hand at improving the 'realism' here and there. I do that on my engines, and I try to photograph my results to see if the camera will show me what I'm missing or what I've mucked up. Nothing like getting a camera down to 'eye level' on your layout and seeing what it can show you. Most of us are surprised, both at how realistic some aspects are and how absolutely unconvincing others are.

I spent some time cloning smoke and steam effects, and I used a white craft acrylic paint wash to dull the entire structure.

View attachment 251767

The trees don't really work (they're Achillea or Yarrow), but I think I done good on the caboose.

View attachment 251766

Awesome work there!