There are a few REALLY nice ones floating about that I’ve seen but they are usually sold by the time I show up. Here’s a picture of the type of work I’m looking for. Beautiful.
If any of you are as good as this (or know someone who is), please e-mail me or at least a link to your website. I sure as shootin’ can’t get anywhere near as purdy as this. Have a job for you if you’re innerstid. [C):-)]
GRIFFS GRIME SHOP
MELLOW MIKE
&
THOROUGHBRED RR MODELS
These people are some heavy hitters, hands down. Mellow Mike will do. If I had a choise it would be Griffs Grime Shop. He is really reasonable in pricing. Go to his websight, he will make the model you have there look like a 5 year old did it. he absolutely the best. The model you are showing would be really simple to do. It’s about 50/50 realistic looking. But give it to one of the big players (Griffs) and you will supprised at what they can do.
Mike
I couldn’t do anything near that if my life depended on it.
Hi,
you might want to check out this forum http://dieseldetailer.proboards53.com/index.cgi . You might find someone there that can do such a job for you.
Frank
Try looking on Ebay for “OkieLoco”, some of the best Loco work I have seen! (I think they do commission work). Coovi (MTW) does great work also. As far as I know MM does not do Locos, TB would not come close to that kind of detail.
Keith
You might want to click on this link. I’d also suggest you check with a local club. They can probably point you in the right direction.
I’m not trying to put you down, but why not try learning to do it yourself? You could get yourself an airbrush set up for about $200.00 including a compressor and a Pastache external mixer which is relatively cheap and easy to use. Barring that, Scalecoat now offers spray cans and their paint dries decal ready. Choose a prototype that uses only one color to begin with like Pennsy, for example. Get some old shells to practice on. Spray 'em out, decal 'em and don’t be discouraged if they don’t all turn out like you want. Reason I say this is because my MRR club has three or four guys who do excellent work, privately, just for themselves, and they’re all self taught. I do it myself and although I’m not excellent, I get a big charge out of doing it and judicious weathering, which is the easiest process of all, covers up my botch-ups. I do steamers too, even brass, and love every minute of it!
Like said above why don’t you give it a try. It just takes practice and a little knowledge how some weathering tips and how to do it. There is little tips on using stuff to weather a model that you won’t believe. But some people can weather stuff really great and some just don’t either have the patience or the eye for it. Not everyone can do it. I don’t cre how much you practice. What type of engines or cars do you want weathered? If I have the time I can do it for you. No charge, just pay shipping both ways. I mean I can’t weather 50 engines for you. [:D]
Yes that’s true, but I figure that by the time I buy all the supplies from airbrush, paint, chalk, and so forth, how much am I spending on trial/error just to get there? The bigger question I have for myself is what is my time worth to me. Quite a bit. Squeezing in 30 minutes here, hour there, and all in all it comes down to I just don’t want to spend what little time I do have on my trains trying to paint.
Easier for me to let someone else do it even if I have to pay more. Besides, keeps those guys in business. 
Norfolk,
Mellow Mike doesn’t do custom work. Actually he hasn’t had anything up for sale for about a year now-not sure what’s up with him lately.
Griff is in the military reserve as I understand, & away from home, so he doesn’t do too much work on anything currently.
Thoroughbred, well, no offense to the fellow, but his work is what we call “airbrush queens”-pretty much a half hour tops hitting them with airbrushes. He misses a lot of weathering detail that could be done with more time & fine brushes. (airbrushes aren’t everything-they have their good points, but the best weathering I’ve seen have been with brushes, a steady hand, & time.)
Check your profile for messages as I have a PM to follow this.
Mellow Mike DOES do custom work, he isn’t cheap though. As for Griff, he is back from duty (has been for some time now), him & his father work together to do custom work. His fathers work is as good as his. Check hiw Ebay auctions, he has a great teacher. Like I said let me know what you want weathered?
Mike
I agree. Coovi, or OkieLoco. They are very good at diesel weathering. I wouldn’t send it to Griffs, and I don’t know it MM does engines.
News to me-MM’s policy for quite awhile was no custom work-he did cars only on his own inspiration. I noticed he’s completely revamped his website though-I’m going to browse it a bit before bed.
Check out July 2002 page 85 Muncel Chang
I’d start there or email him at memoriesofsteam@aol.com
Really great guy.
Neil
GREAT link! How come I’ve never seen that site before?!?
I do customs but not really too many locos.
I second either Coovi or Okie. The griffs? No.