Weathering Freight Cars - Techniques and Examples

corporaldan Oct 3, 2008

  1. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    Very effective. It looks "right".
     
  2. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Looks very good. All those yellow Chessie two bay hoppers seem to have a brownish - rust dusting with streaks of white. I don't know why that is, but seems so to me.
     
  3. jhn_plsn

    jhn_plsn TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks for the pat on the back. Most of the techniques I used were read about here on Trainboard so thanks to all for their sharing.

    The one thing that many of my weathering jobs missed was a dusty look. Is what I mean by that is there is still a bit of a sheen from the oils that gives off more reflective qualities than I would like. I hear gouache removes much of the sheen if used in place of oils, so will try those. Some of it was helped by dusting on powders, but it was still there. I can see it. I found my solution in a new member of our freemon club. He uses an acrylic clear coat/flat on top of any satisfying layer of weathering before adding more weathering. This gives him a chance to lock in what he likes and remove the latest coat that was not up to snuff. The challenge is the patience required to allow the acrylic clear coat/flat to set up for 24 hours before moving on. This is required to keep any solvents, oils, or alcohol from cutting into it and mix causing flakes or fogging up the finish. Ask me how I know.:rolleyes:

    Currently working on an SP SD45 fresh out of the box to see how I can apply some of the techniques to the old scarlet and gray. Hope to post a picture soon.
     
  4. jhn_plsn

    jhn_plsn TrainBoard Supporter

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    IMG_20130519_163349_692.jpg IMG_20130519_163552_894.jpg

    Comparison of original vs some light weathering using an acrylic clear coat, an enamel wash, and some AIM powders. There were no extra details added to the loco.
     
  5. TrCO

    TrCO TrainBoard Member

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    I'd say you nailed that dusty look. Very well done :)
     
  6. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Here is my first attempt at oil paint weathering. I have delayed trying this but it is fairly simple. I do use the Tom Mann techniques from his book but I also heed the lessons from the members here on TrainBoard. I'm trying on these cars before I go to engines. This first with the rust spots, although not what I hope it will be when I get better, is the main reason I used oils. I just couldn't do the spot rust with water based paint.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  7. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    They all look nice. My favorite is the first photo. Very realistic rust spots!
     
  8. jhn_plsn

    jhn_plsn TrainBoard Supporter

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    Flash, if you did these in the last couple days and did not seal with anything try using a brush wet with odorless oil thinner and draw some of that paint into streaks. You will end up removing quite a bit of the paint but you want to give a very slight effect and let us viewers allow our minds to do the rest. The thinned paint will also run into the seems and crevasses for an even deeper effect. Sounds cheesy, but less is more. When you use the wet brush use varied pressure to leave behind more or less paint for the desired effect.

    Also, did you fade the car first? It does not look like it. Try using an acrylic close to the car color or just use white, as I do. I thin it the same for all applications but vary how many layers for effect.

    This is one of those artsy things like scenery. You will understand better the more you do and gain experience so don't sweat the first couple attempts.

    Kudos for getting started and I hope to see more.
     
  9. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    jhn:

    Why use oderless thinner?

    I did what you suggested on the other side of this car and I am sure I used too much thinner. It pretty much melted all the rust spots. I am going to do it again with a smaller brush and be very precise in the vertical strokes. Also, I want to put the rust in a more logical fashion instead of randomly along the side of the car. (The paint has not dried and is not sealed.)

    I didn't fade the car first. I have some boxcars that are faded only so I will practice on those.

    Thanks for the tips. I'll post more later this week as I have time.
     
  10. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    1. If you can smell something, it's because you are actually breathing in the molecules of whatever it is. Oil paint thinners are heavily toxic. Bone marrow suppression, neuropathy, permanent central nervous system damage etc.. It was being in a closed space with paint thinners that triggered the onset of my chronic illness that destroyed my career.

    2. Because thanks to the efforts of scientists, inexpensive non-toxic oil thinners are now widely available. Why risk illness when you don't have to?

    3. Because clean-up sends these toxic chemicals into the watershed and aquifers.
     
  11. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Okay. I thought it might be because the oderless gave a better weathering result than the regular thinner. I didn't want to make a mistake on this covered hopper.
     
  12. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    I found that the oil paint had set and could not be manipulated any more. I just added some more paint and tried to improve my streaking of the rust. It definitely did add more rust. Here are the results:

    Before:
    [​IMG]

    After:
    [​IMG]

    Maybe better next time.
     
  13. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sorry Flash. I thought you actually didn't know the benefits of the new odorless thinners and I wanted to make sure you had that info! :) I find there are a lot of people down here where I live who don't get it.
     
  14. Candy_Streeter

    Candy_Streeter TrainBoard Member

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    I haven't tried weathering freight cars yet but as a observer may I comment on this car?
     
  15. Candy_Streeter

    Candy_Streeter TrainBoard Member

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    When I first saw this car I thought there was something very wrong. Then I quickly realized it was contrast. The yellow area is two clean and yellow and new looking. The rust area is too server to be a part of such a clean car.
     
  16. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Candy:

    I expect you are right. I do need to have a photo to follow to do a really accurate job.
     
  17. Candy_Streeter

    Candy_Streeter TrainBoard Member

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    I think you should age the car first then add thin rust areas but not so much that it would make some one think, " Wow, how come that is still in service?"
     
  18. 2slim

    2slim TrainBoard Member

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    Hi everyone,
    Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. I uploaded a video to You Tube showing a few of the cars I've been weathering;
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnVROWJeG6w&feature=em-upload_owner

    I also have a Facebook page called "Wally's Weathering" that has many photos of model railroad models I've weathered.

    I've seen a lot of good weathering in this thread
    2slim
     
  19. jhn_plsn

    jhn_plsn TrainBoard Supporter

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    This is my first attempt weathering well cars and some containers. I use Model Masters Acrylic Flat to tone down the paint a bit. I then used Testor's Enamel Rubber color thinned considerably and washed over the cars and containers. I then used Bragdon powders to represent the dusty road grime, but I think it is too yellow. Easy fix with the Bragdon powders. The trucks have in order; Tamiya Red/Brown, AIM powders mixed in liquid hairspray(adds texture), and Testor's Enamel Rubber.
    IMG_20140414_223825_384.jpg IMG_20140414_223648_951.jpg IMG_20140414_223931_500 (2).jpg IMG_20140414_224018_150.jpg
     
  20. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Ready for scrap? I'm still running it. Demonstrates that weathering can go awry. Just hang in there and try again.

    [​IMG]
     

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