I have a couple of HO Walthers center depressed flat cars. I would like to weather the deck some. They will have transformer loads on them.
How would I do this? Drybrushing? Powder Pastels?
Here is a link
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1853555
I know the loneliness of not having anyone respond to a post, so:
The reason no one has responded is that this topic is covered in several places in this forum, plus videos on the site AND articles in the magazine. There’s three videos on site right now covering the different types of weathering. So - start reading! (or viewing!)
Or, we don’t know. Weathering is one of those things that can change by car, or by load. Same teqniques, but what combination does one usae for a flatcar with a power Transformer?
Just making a guess here, but I’s start with a base weathering f the car, then put the load on and do another very light coat. The transdfoemer will be shiny and new, or nearly so. It and the car will likely weather together on the trip down, but then the car will likely return empty (if it dosn’t come back with the replaced transformer) so the entire deck will then get another chance to weather. Beyond that, I haven’t a clue.
Sorry!
Quick answer:
building up layers of bragdon powders with sealers. That’s my usual technique.
Drybrushing or washes or many other methods would work as well. Just depends on the type of weathering that you get a feel for and can apply yourself
There are really no wrong answers. Since you’ve already got a picture, just use whatever works best for you.
Personally, I’d start with a wash of flat black or grimy black to tone things down a little, then, when that’s dry, apply rust and crud with drybrushing. The silver area on the bottom appears to be a spot where loads have worn the paint off of the car; you could brush that by hand or apply with masking and an airbrush.
The white patches appear to be canvas or plastic covers. Maybe plain white paper would simulate this.
I am not an expert weatherer but I think one of the challenges you face if you want to duplicate the example in the picture would be how to do the rust stains which have relatively detailed patterns. Powders and dry brushing won’t give you the straight lines and square corners that a lot of the rust stains have in the example.
One possible solution would be to make up some “stamps” in the shape of the detailed rust patterns using thin styrene stock glued together on edge in the shape of the stain(s). By applying a little rust coloured paint to the pattern you could “print” the detailed patterns (like using a rubber stamp) and then use a little dry brushing or water/paint thinner to make them bleed out a bit when they are mostly dry.
Please understand that I have never done this so I am just speculating (and maybe wasting everybody’s time) but that is how I would approach the challenge. Can’t hurt to try!
Dave
Thank you all for the responses. I am going to place transformer loads in each car, but the deck can use a little weathering.
Hon30critter, your technique sounds interesting. I might try it on some scrap styrene first.
Will
Please let me know if my suggestion works, or what you did to replicate the detailed rust stains.
In reference to my suggestion, it might be better to let the “printed” stain dry completely and then use washes or powders to “bleed” them a bit. Again, I am just speculating.
Dave
If you look closely at the photo, you’ll see that many of the stains on the end platforms are three-dimensional: that’s because the bracing (and sometimes even the load itself) was welded to the car’s floor. I suspect that many of the ones on the depressed deck are similar, although perhaps with the residue ground-off more closely. You should be able to simulate this by cementing bits of styrene and styrene structural shapes to the deck, using solvent cement. Let the cement cure at least 24 hours, then break or carve away much of the added pieces. This will give you some specific shapes to control the application of weathering. The rest can be accomplished with masking, either with tape or paper, and an airbrush, along with judicious applications of weathering chalks or powders.
Wayne
Looks like many of the staining and repaints are from many years of wear and cribbing various loads. I would start w/ a basic overall weathering of the entire car as you would any other piece, Bragdon powder, fogging w/ air brush whatever you feel more comfortable with. Go lightly at first, heavier weathering can always be done… As for the deck, it looks like you will need to weather in multiple stages, just as it actually got that way. I would start by drybrushing roof browns, grime and weathered grays. some of those rust markings look like you will have to improvise by “pad” printing by using sprues, bent wire any other pieces to get that rust outline. Do this by grabbing w/ tweezers and practice dip and print (like ink pad) you may need to test on paper so that light impressions only show, not heavy solid blobed outlines. There are even some rust outlines that resemble stirrups. A few area look to need light fooged spray painting (gray patches on deck) mask off car and dust w/ paint. Same is true for other paintouts like the white areas. Once done additional weathering on those spots will be needed. Practice on a junker or piece od cardboard for each step. Just my thoughts and how I would approach this project. Does look like if done properly can be quite an exquisite piece to add to your layout.
That’s one sorry-looking car.
I’ve used a product called “Instant Rust” It’s a fine iron emulsion (step 1) and an oxidizer (step 2) so it allows you to apply the iron with a brush and then turn it to a real rust finish.
I got this stuff at Michaels. As you can see, you can end up with some pretty ratty-looking rolling stock unless you use it very lightly.
Wood is an extemely diverse-and touchy-substance to replicate. I have approached it with several methods in the past; but on plastic or metal trying to simulate a wood surface, the best I have come up with is to use a mix of grey, grimy black, and a touch of “Modelmasters Steel” in an airbrush; thinned as per paint instructions. Keep it agitated (I put a ball bearing in my jar, and just swirl it), and go easy with the coats, examining between coats. Oh-and do prime it first.
On wood, make sure you have sanded it, applied a coat of sanding sealer, sand that, and do the above. Wood is really absorbant, and just applying as a stain is truely a stress-producing affair!
EF-3 yellowjacket
And you don’t have to leave the transformer new and shiny. Make some vertical streaks with grimy black, as if you were hauling off an old transformer.