Choice of Gray for ACFX hopper

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Howdy

I need some help(newb), I need to know what shade of gray to use on an Athearn ACFX hopper, please?

Todd

2

Gidday Todd, [#welcome] to the forum. I saw your query last night and had hoped that an expert on modern rolling stock would have immediately pointed you in the right direction of the right colour chart.

This is the best I can offer, you will have to use your Mark 1 eyeball.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rslist.aspx?id=ACFX&cid=4

http://www.testors.com/category/137367/Railroad_Acrylics

In my opinion an unfortunate, and probably unintentional, down side to the new forum layout is that threads disappear off the front page too quickly.

Hopefully someone far more knowledgeable will give you a more definite answer.

Cheers, the Bear.

3

Sorry I missed this earlier. As I do not use water based paint my answer is always couched by I only use old Floquil and Scalecoat II paints.

For the light gray used on covered hoppers, my favorite colors are Floquils RR9 Primer and Scalecoat II MofW Gray paint. I prefer the Scalecoat II as it dries with a gloss finish ready for decaling. As shown below.

Rick J [2c]

4

Enough of the covered hoppers I see have odd gray rectangles that I wouldn’t try too hard. Repairs get painted over, graffiti covered, all sorts of stuff.

5

Todd,

I have one of those ACFX grey reefers and ‘scratched’ the finish as I was replacing wheels/couplers’ I ‘fogged’ in some Floquil PollyScale MOW Grey with a little white added. About a 50/50 mix.

Jin

6

I’m prefer to see gray covered hoppers before the color gets washed out. There is another color that I like, which is Floquil lettering gray: http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-MSaucier7/-strse-475/Floquil-FLO414179-SP-Lettering/Detail.bok