Weathering a Continuous thread, any scale

[TomO/Tloc]

Hello. I'm not sure that this would be considered Super Detailing but this does seem like the forum for a discussion on Weathering. In this case rolling stock, locomotives and structures. That should cover the whole of model railroading.

Discussion means discuss philosophy, techniques, formulas, material, tools and paint in a CONSTRUCTIVE manner. I won't care if you hate or love the work I and hopefully others will post here but tell us why and how you would fix it. The AT A BOY pat on the back but a discussion on what you like would be nice. I belong to a couple other forums and 1 is closing down and the other is different than here. There seem to be more engaged modelers here, and I hope this thread will generate interesting discussions. The Continuous Weathering threads there are separated in locomotives and rolling stock. I've combined those 2 together here and will definitely welcome structures and vehicles. I think it's a given we all love pictures. After some help from the membership here I find posting pictures here easy. So please add a picture of your work.

The 3 pictures below are from a weathering commission still in process. HO Scale tank car from Tangent. My client wanted a used car starting to show its age.

I air brushed the fade. My fade mix is Tamiya White thinned Isopropyl Alcohol and 1 drop of dark gray. I'm no longer a formula guy, I now mix by feel but notes from the beginning days would tell me 10 to 20% paint to the balance of thinner. The thinner I use for Tamiya Arcylics is Isopropyl Alcohol at the 91% concentration. I'm not sure I've ever noticed a difference using the 70%, 91% or 99% concentrations. The 91% is what I can easily obtain and it's works.


Rust was done using Vallejo Panzer Aces light rust and touched in spots with a brush. After drying Vallejo Air burnt umber thinned 50/50 with water was touched over the light rust spots.

Finally a light spray of Ammo by Mig engine oil was sprayed from the domes straight down to represent some over filled spillage.

I held off a final spray of a clear matte finish until the client approved. He did not! I am working today on toning down the orange looking rust spots as they are too bright.

Let me know what you think?

TomO

[Zephyrus52246]

Perhaps the orange  rust is a bit too prominent.  I'm copying your instructions as I've never weathered a tank car and yours looks pretty darn good.  

Jeff

[ReadingBob]

Great topic.  This is something I want to learn/improve upon.  I've done a little bit, but not enough to be anywhere near your level.  I've messed around with oil paints, which I find very forgiving.

When the opportunity arises, I snap pictures for inspiration in the future.

 

[ACL1504]

Tom,

Great thread. I've weathered some freight cars but never showed how I did it.

Your SBS is a great note pad for us, thanks.

Tom 

[TomO/Tloc]

Thanks Tom,Jeff and ReadingBob.

Jeff the client did ask that the orange rust be toned down and I am working open that today.pictures in the morning.

ReadingBob. Don't sell yourself short. That tank car is excellent plus it has some tagging!

ACL1504, thanks Tom. There are 2 things that are hard in weathering anything.

#1 is just starting.

I resisted weathering diesels for years even though I had been weathering rolling stock for many years. Heck I started painting brass steamers in the 70's and weathering locomotives was tough. Now I love them!

#2 is to develop a pattern that works for you. Find your paints and develop techniques and stick to them. Lots of practice on old cars, sheet styrene or even cardboard

In the next few days I will post what works for me! It's not a you should follow this but will give you an idea where to go.

I always start with inspecting the car and then cleaning it

TomO

Tank cars in front of the papermill! Soon the artist/vandals will be tagging these tankers!

[jerryrbeach]

Tom,

Great thread!  I'm looking forward to exchanging ideas and learning some different ways to weather rolling stock realistically.  Thus far I am still experimenting with a couple methods of weathering, mostly using pan pastels lately.  I want to learn as many additional methods as I can because I want to have some variation between the cars on the layout.  

I model pre-WW I, so mostly wood cars. I am somewhat handicapped by having only black and white period photos.  I do have several color photos I have found of 1940's vintage that do help with understanding how steam era freight cars looked. 

I have attached a couple photos.  The Santa Fe boxcar was weathered with pan pastels. The accompanying O&W refrigerator car received a light airbrush overspray with grimy black mostly concentrated on the roof. I then added some streaking on the sides using pan pastels.  I think that car needs "more" but I'm kind of stuck on what or how to improve the weathering.  

The two DL&W gondolas were done with different colors of acrylic paint applied with a brush to vary the colors of the boards.  Those cars only had pan pastels applied to the trucks. 

[deemery]

Where did those DLW cars come from?  Kits or scratch-built?

dave

[jerryrbeach]

Where did those DLW cars come from?  Kits or scratch-built?

dave

Dave,

They are IHC "old time" gondolas with upgraded underframes, added grab irons, renumbered, etc.

Jerry

[deemery]

Where did those DLW cars come from?  Kits or scratch-built?

dave

Dave,

They are IHC "old time" gondolas with upgraded underframes, added grab irons, renumbered, etc.

Jerry

VERY Nicely done!  I wouldn't have guessed their origin if you didn't tell me.

dave

[GPdemayo]

Beautiful weathering Tom.....

[TomO/Tloc]

Greg, thank you

Jerry,the box cars are both nicely done. Remember in your modeling era cars did NOT have medium type weathering. Based on very few colorized pictures I have seen they were usually freshly grimey like you are showing or completely destroyed. I have found few decent pictures of cars in the 40's or even 50's.

If you want a bit more? Some kick up spray from the rail bed along the whole of the sill. Maybe a light tan to have it stand out or a darker earth color to say this car is run hard. I like the way they are, thanks for sharing

Roof pictures no matter the era are hard to come by.

I recently finished some early 1950 build date box cars to run in his era of 1965. He wanted a beaten down roof, this is what I came up with...




TomO

[TomO/Tloc]

Lost the pictures in my last post, sorry

Isopropyl Alcohol and AK Interactive pigments

[ReadingBob]

My favorite railfanning spot (unfortunately, for me, is around 900 miles away) affords me the opportunity to get shots from above.  Reference material for future weather endeavors.

[TomO/Tloc]

My favorite railfanning spot (unfortunately, for me, is around 900 miles away) affords me the opportunity to get shots from above.  Reference material for future weather endeavors.

Thank for the photos. You are correct as these will be excellent references

TomO