Ever learn a new modeling technique and wished you could go back and re-do something you’d already done? You can!
Some years ago I purchased this nicely detailed Intermountain 40’ PRR N scale boxcar. I weathered it following a photograph in a book, building up layers of pastel chalks and Dullcote. I never much cared for how it came out (too splotchy). I tried to mimic the effect of a yard worker wiping the car number at a hump (a common occurance before the advent of the Automated Car Information system). Overall, didn’t much like it:
Well, one wonderful thing about Dullcote is that is can be removed with 70% isopropyl alcohol without damaging the underlying finish. I slathered on the alcohol and wiped the car down with a stiff brush, removing most of the weathering and Dullcote. The result is a fine haze that will disappear with a new cote of Dullcote.
Aftr a new coat of Dullcote, I re-weathered the car using washes made of acrylic craft paints, basic windshield washer fluid, and water. One of my favorite techniques is one I learned from Rich Yourstone, and that’s the scrapes from the sliding door. If the door opens (as it does in this case), just dab some thick dark rust colored paint on the backside of the door and slide it back and forth.
The first car did look like it had boxcar measles. I like the idea about the paint on the back of the door—I’ll try it on one of mine and see what it does.
I have admired your layout for a long time!
I too am a Pennsy fan and still working on mine, in PRR main theme in HO.
Mine is 6 feet wide by 24 feet long with two outer mainlines, and I keep changing my ideas of what I want
to do with the restof my layout. I put in a center backdrop divider that is 16 inches high.
I keep playing around with elevating one or two tracks, now looking at only one.I have a set of Woodland scenic foam risers( 3%), but really haven’t made up my mind yet.
I have a set of BLI T1 steamers, a BLI J1, an M1b and an M1a all BLI engines
I like the method of adding door rust. Now I realize the big downside of modeling the modern era is that the freightcar doors on the models don’t slide…[:-^]
Yeah, I agree that it’s a real bummer that modern car doors don’t open. Just think about how much sweeter this car would look with perfectly horizontal scrapes to the right of the door…
But I did use thinned acrylic washes in layers for that and its sister car (still in full Penn Central dress):
This one was modeled from two photographs and used the sliding door technique (this is the first car I used the acrylic craft paint washes on):
