On my first layout, I painted the rails and ties with Model Master, Euro Gray, to simulate “steel” colored rails. Obviously, this meant the ties were the same color. I could not find an aerosol paint of any kind, that was a dark brown, or grimy black, or anything that would color the rails and ties together, and look realistic. I know an airbrush would be the only way to get the color I want for the rails and ties, but can’t see investing into one, because, once the track painting is done, the airbrush will sit and collect dust. I tried masking the ties (to leave them black), and just paint the rails (using dark tan, or gray), and it just didn’t look right. Too bad an areosol paint isn’t available for painting track! I read an article where a guy hand painted the rails after spraying the ties. Not what I want to do.
I am interested in hearing other ways, and colors to paint track realistically.
Well, heres an idea that looked ok but certainly won’t be what I will do in the future. My dad, wanting to make our track look more realist without going to the lenths of ballest, took some water soluble grey paint and painted the track (rails and all!). Then we took a black magic maker and made “oil droppings” down the center. Just another on of those odd ideas. Oh, we cleaned the rails with a wet rag. Take a look at the pictures on my site:
http://home.comcast.net/~ccmhet4/trains.html
I airbrushed the entire track with a Floquil color that was something like “roof brown” - it was a pretty close match for ties that have been in the field for a while, but not rotten. I then cut thin strips of masking tape and masked everything except the rail and tie plates, and airbrushed the track with Floquil’s Rail Brown. After a few minutes I rubbed the paint off of the top of the rail with a Brite Boy (not hard enough to scratch the rail, though) and let the track cure for a day.
When installing the track, the track and the ties would shift around (this was flex track, obviously) and some bare spots would show. A quick touchup after glueing down was all it needed.
mtrails - you can ALWAYS find a use for an airbrush…
I do it by hand! I my be crazy, but I feel I have much more control and it really does not take all that much time. I mix up a thinned grimy RR tie looking brown from cheap Walmart acrylic and with a wide brush slop it down the center of the Track and the side of the track. I do this after the track is installed but before the ballasting job. When this is dry, I take a fine brush and run a line of raw sienna cheap acrylic to look like rust down the sides of the rails. I do this in relatively short sections as I proceed around the layout doing the scenery. When I have ballasted the track I will go back and add a grimy black wash down the middle of the track. Any paint that dries on the rail tops cleans off easily inside the first few hours. I own an airbrush but find this just as quick when I add the clean up time into the equation.
I paint them by hand, after the track is installed, and all the feeders attached and joints dressed. I use combinations of Zinc Cromate Primer, Tuscan Red, and DRG&W Frieght Car Brown.
Nick
I also paint by hand, the rails get roof brown or cinnamon craft paint, then the ties get dry brushed with shades of white, gray and tans, to simulate sun faded ties, then after ballasting a thin wash of a rusty red/brown around tie plates and ballast
I use an air brush, but you can get Floquil Railroad colors in spray bombs at any good hobby shop, on-line hobby supply or order direct from Testors.
First wa***he track with a stiff brush and rubbing alcohol to remove any parting agent or oils. Let dry. Spray the ties with Grimy Black (don’t worry about getting any on the rails), let dry overnight.
Cover the center of the track with masking tape (1/2" for HO standard gage) and the tie ends. You want to paint the tie plates the same rusty color as the rail, so don’t cover those. Spray the rails with a light coating of Rail Brown. It’s ok if a little of the grimy black shows through in places. Clean the railhead with a rag, wrapped around your gloved index finger, moistened with lacquer thinner while the paint on the is still soft but not wet.
When dry remove the tape.
Don’t use sand paper to clean the rail head, it could leave scratches that will pick up and hold dirt. Poli***he rail heads with a Bright Boy track cleaner.
(click on highlighted words for links)
There is a very wide variety in colors and patterns of full sized track, so much so that duplicating a specific section of track is nearly impossible. When I foray into the tiny world of indoor model railroading, I simply spray my track with overlaping patterns of black, grey and brown. In certain areas I might brush a thin wash of rust color around the rails a little, a car crossing for example or other place where I want a “detail pop”. Then I clean the rail heads and call it done. The sides of the rails end up painted the same as the ties (anything not shiny is good) and the ties end up having a nice weathered look. The overall effect makes a nice used rail look with a minimum of effort. You can do this with either an airbrush or from an aeresol spray can.
For my G scale outdoor railroad, I let nature to the weathering. She does a most excellent job every time!