If the paint is fresh you can take cloth with solver.
I use for the dry paint a rubber.
Wolfgang
Absolutely stunning!
Tom
Gotta agree with you, Tom. There is some fine work in those pictures.
Here’s my track:
(Click image to enlarge)
The very first issue of Realistic Layouts (May 2006) featured my Siskiyou Line on the cover, and the lead article was how I weather and ballast my track.
You can also find more info in my Scenery Forum Clinic.
Atlas flex track Code 83 and Woodland Scenics Fine Gray Ballast
Joe,
You still have some of the best ballasted track I’ve seen. I have tried your Tempra coloring method. That’s the trick. Way better than stains, dyes and diluted paints.
Thanks for the tip.
Wolfgang: please tell me thats a code 83 turnout from Andy’s Proto87 store… I’ve been jonesing so hard to see a picture of one of his turnouts “in action”
Nothing wrong with copying well-done model track, but this may help, too:
For painting rail, I find that a brush is faster than spraying, as there’s less clean-up. Use at least a 1/2" brush, with fairly stiff bristles - it’ll let you work the paint around the moulded-on spike heads, and hold enough paint that you don’t have to reload it so often. I use PollyScale paint (no odour) and do about 12’ or 15’ of track at a time, then wipe the rail tops with a dry rag stretched over my fingers. The paint will be dry to the touch, but not fully hardened, so it wipes off easily. I always wait at least 24 hours before running trains. Turnouts take a little longer to paint - centre the points until the paint is dry. If you spray the rails, anything near the tracks needs to be removed or covered, and if you have an around-the-room layout, it’s awkward spraying the far side of the rails - it’s easy for the “sprayer” to become the “sprayee”. [;)] Another reason to prefer a brush over spraying is that any overspray becomes dust on your layout, which is not conducive to trouble-free operation.
Wayne
Yes, these are turnouts from Proto:87, code 70. Here you will find my experience:
http://www.westportterminal.de/H0-USA/diamond_valley_e8.html
Wolfgang
Hi!
So in your experience is it best to paint the rails before or after laying the ballast?
Well, for me it was best to do it before ballasting, as I had several large bridges to install, which involved cutting the plywood sub-roadbed and some other constuction-type jobs. I found it to be a good task for those times when I didn’t want to get too involved in a project - you can paint as much or as little as you like at one time. This also keeps the task from becoming tedious, although it does go surprisingly quickly. I was really amazed at what a difference it made in the appearance, even without ballast: it’s great “bang for the buck”, both dollar-wise and time-wise.
In the photo below, all of the track is laid directly on the plywood, with no roadbed. The two mainlines are part of a small interchange yard, and I wanted to keep “ground” in the area fairly level for the convenience and safety of the LPBs (little plastic brakemen). The cinder sub-ballast (hopefully) enhances the illusion that the track was properly graded for drainage, at least at one time. [swg]
Wayne
Oh word, I forgot that they made frogs like that for Code 70. Are those railbars the ones that come with the Central Valley turnout kits? I’m still confused as to whether the railbars are ones that Andy makes or the ones that just come with the regular CV kits.
How did you attach the railbars? Did you just glue them? Also, I was wondering if you had any problems with building the turnout as a curved one. I actually poured over your site last night when I saw the first picture you had posted.
With the Ultimate turnout of yours, what did you do to stain the wooden ties?
This is the closest I’ve got to a ‘close-up’ of track and ballast, it’s at Wagon Wheel Gap on my HO Yuba River Sub. The track is Sinohara code 100 and the, ballast is mixed from WS medium gray, light gray and cinder. I use a mixture of Floquil Boxcar Red, Roof Brown and Grimy Black to spray my rails before applying the ballast, then immeditely wipe the heads clean with a cloth soaked in alcohol. Any residue left on the railheads, I lightly rub with a Micro-Mark Track-Cleaner on a ‘Stick’, which I use to clean track in hard to reach areas (which seems to be most of my layout, LOL!).
Works for me.
Tom [:)]
The railbars came with the kit, from Proto:87 as well as CV. I’ve used both. They’re from plastic and I glued them with plastic cement. (from Faller or similiar)
I’ve had no problems with curved turnouts. These are #6 and #8. And the radii are over 2m (6’) .
I’ve airbrushed the wooden ties like the plastic ties. There’s only one turnout with wooden ties and this derail. I’ve build the derail from left over parts of this Proto:87 turnout kit.
Wolfgang
I agree this is the best ballasting I have seen in HO. I have had some success with actual fine rock (sifted dirt). When I tried WS fine ballast I couldn’t get it to stay in place - it would hop about on the ties and rails from what seemed like static electricity. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance…
WS and Scenic Xpress mix on the mains
Hey bob, is that your home layout or the club? Looks wonderful.
Wolfgang- is there anything special you need to keep in mind when building a curved turnout with the Proto87/CV kits?