Hello this is my first weathering attempt. I used what I had on hand. Some polyscale rust, light gray and some black craft paint with a little dusting of black ash from the fire pit and a shot of dull coat. This was a shack the box kit and it was bright yellow. I did not get any before shots and these are not the best but here goes.
I tried to fade the lettering with a eraser it work ok but not the way I wanted. I think this will be the hardest part of the hobby for me well this and painting.What do you think am I on the right track ? Thanks Frank
The grime and rust on all 4 sides shows a vertical pattern, just as on prototypes. Rain makes grime and dirt run downward, a simple rule of thumb that’s sometimes overlooked by enthusiastic newbies learning to weather.
Another cool detail that you applied that I’ve often overlooked when weathering: The rust behind the wheels. If I may humbly give a critique: Rust behind prototype wheels (that I’ve seen) is usually darker in color as it’s often mixed in with dirt kicked up from grade crossings, weed laden branch lines and sidings. However, if your car were a model of a unit that spent a lot of time in the land of “Red-Orange Clay” Georgia, the color you’ve applied fits in nicely.
The faded letters? Might not be exactly the way you wanted them, however, they most certainly look like they’ve been subjected to the harsh effects of the sun, rain, and winter blizzards.
My 2nd crituque is that your car looks so good, that the oversized wheels (when one faces the car’s ends) actually stand out. If you were to use this as a display at a model train show or contest, scale width wheels would fit in very nicely.
Overall, great work! A salute and thumbs up [4:-)][tup]
Nice job, Frank. [:)][tup] I trust you had a fun time doing it?
I’m no expert at weathering but I have taken note of prototype rolling stock as it goes by. You may want to use your digital camera and snap a few pictures to catalog where the rust tends to “streak” on certain cars. Then you can draw from that what might look appropriate for a reefer. Unfortunately, there aren’t any reefers still running on the lines, are there? LOL!
Looks good! I like it when people keep weathering subtle. I think the important thing is to avoid standouts (bright yellow, as you noted, tends to stand out) unless it’s something you want to have standing out (like a really special model of some car’s unique and distinctive heavy weathering…the CR covered hopper in a recent magazine, for instance).
Less important to be just right on close inspection, more important to avoid catching the eye and inviting that inspection.
AntonioFP45 Yes you can critique that’s how we get better at what we do. What size wheels should be on this reefer ?
Tom I have some photos that I took but they really don’t help. My ear has long been gone 35-45. But I sure wood love to see some of that equipment roll past at least once.
I do have some questions if you look at the last photo were the yellow sides and the frame mate. Would the side be rusty from the frame or should it be black/gray wood color and the same above the trucks also? And the roof would it stay yellow or would it fade back to black/gray wood color? Thanks Frank
It looks good, 0-6-0. Realistically dirty but not cartoonishly overdone.
One thing that caught my eye - the truss rods should be tight and unbent (except at the queenposts). On the prototype they carried a LOT of tensile stress, which made it nearly impossible to put a kink in them. On your model they look like they aren’t carrying any load (which of course they aren’t). On the prototype would make the car swaybacked and headed for the repair or scrap tracks. Much more visible in the underside shot than any other view, of course. Probably not very noticable when on the layout.
For a first crack, you did a great job. There are A LOT of ways to weather. Comes down to what you are comfortable with, what you think gives the best results, over all effect, etc.
Most of my cars are weathered. I try to keep a over all showing. Some are very very light, most in the middle, some very heavy. Helps make them all look more realistic, at least I think, due to real ones will vary greatly too depending on regions, useage etc.
As far as yoru question goes about the roof… being 34, steam engines were long before my time but, steam era cars were famous for dirty roofs from all the soot, ash and ash. I had it explained to me by some old timers and a few color pictures of freight cars. Roofs were all pretty dirty, again, some would be worse than others depending on usage and number of tunnels on the line that cars were exsposed to. Hope that helps. Keep it up!
Brunton The truss rods were tight till I got paint on them. I can open up the car and tighten them up.
Margaritaman I found that just about everything on my layout is a work in progress. It seems like you can add just one more little thing and it will be done. ready for the next little thing
Autobus Prime I thought it stood out before being bright yellow well now it stands out because it’s the only one that’s weathered
Canazar I think I will keep it on the light /med side I have no tunnels on the layout .
I LIKE it! Nice job, ESPECIALLY for a ‘first’ attempt. I’ve been in the hobby for longer than I care to think, and the thought of weathering my rolling stock STILL scares me to death, for some strange reason. I have no trouble weathering my steam locomotives, but the minute I look at one of my boxcars or reefers, I just sort of shrug it off and say, “Oh Heck, let it SHINE, LOL!”
You’ve given me inspiration. I just might bite the bullet and give it a try–especially if there’s a remote possibility that it might turn out as nice as yours.
TOM I was trying to build up the nerve to weather that car for a year now. I thought about weathering some old cars I don’t use and thought what if they come out nice. They would never run on the layout so I kept putting it off till the other day. I was watching the trains run and the next thing I new I was trying to weather that car. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Now for some reason the darker cars scare me. Maybe because everything will show up better. Give it a try and lets see how it looks. Have a nice day Frank
