Hi Guys,Im starting work today on my truss bridge,as for a question after i build it ,how many of you repaint it??
Carl…
I will be painting mine. I want it rust colored.
But first I wanted to figure out what I was going to do about bridge piers. I don’t like the look of Atlas bridge piers. Once I figure that out then I will be caught up with you.
I repaint all my bridges to go with the railroad’s decision to have blue bridges(CEO wife’s suggestion). I use spray cans from Menards. Krylon plastic paint does real nice for plastic models.
I repaint all of my bridges. I use Floquil spray cans–Grimy Black then dust it with a light coating of Boxcar red to simulate slight rust. I have one steel highway bridge that I just painted boxcar red and left it, since it simulates a bridge that I remember from my boyhood in the mountains that was primered, but evidently never painted. Looks cool.
Tom [:D]
I paint my truss bridges primer gray…then with a small artist’s brush I weather it with crushed pastel chalks using the red, orange, and brown colors…chuck
What exactly do you mean - “repaint it” ? Repaint means painting something a second time. Did you mean just paint it? Paint the original plastic it came in? There is a difference.
Real railroad bridges were painted to protect the metal. Plastic or whatever model bridges are made from does not normally look like metal, so painting the completed model can make it look more prototypical.
The choice is yours.
Bob Boudreau
Bob, you are of course right. Yes, paint it. Repaint was used on the assumption that the plastic was meant to look like paint.out of the box. A prototype I am playing with on bridges is what they look like right after the maintainance crew just left. I intend to have one scene where the painters are still there.
Check out the Walther’s catalogue, there are many other offerings for pier/ footings commercially available. You can also cast or veneer castings on a block of clear pine. This gives you the ability to create any shape or style you wish. This will also work for the bridge abutments as well.
Bob K.
The Old Dog would suggest that you consider doing the painting before the assembly.
Have fun
I know that many like to paint before assembly, however I feel that a structure such as a styrene bridge needs to be as strong as possible. Cementing all the boxed girders, braces etc. really should be done with thw bare plastic for the best bond. I have noticed this w/ Central valley and especially MicroEngineering kits. Structures and other scenic features are best painted first.
Bob K.
Thanks For all the Advice Guys really Helps but heres what ive done last night and today
I know theres a long way to go so any advice to set the sean would really help
Carl…
I usually just follow the directions that come with the kit. On some, at least, they tell you to prepaint parts of the structure first. There is usually a reason for this that is often apparent too late if you do the process backwards… [:D]
I usually add weathering after the kit is finished.
make sure you attach the track before you assemble it if thats what the kit requires. Makes it awful hard afterwards…dont ask me how I know that [:P]
You may also want to check into Micro Engineering’s bridge (flex) track for that prototypical bridge tie profile. The track is available in code 83 w/ code 70 guard rails 36"long. N scale and narrow gage is avail also.
Bob K.