Hey,
Im not sure if there are threads already on this but typing in weathing brought lots of results for loco's and stock, not track.
Does anyone have any guidance on this? tips or tricks?
I recently brought 3 pens from woodland scenics,
Rusty rail, steel rail and weathered tie.
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff318/tomnewdelhi/Layout/20140220_142711_zpsc8a55591.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/tomnewdelhi/media/Layout/20140220_142711_zpsc8a55591.jpg.html)
Ive tried them out on some scrap track and laid some ballast down after,
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff318/tomnewdelhi/Layout/20140220_180615_zpsd70f4eda.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/tomnewdelhi/media/Layout/20140220_180615_zpsd70f4eda.jpg.html)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff318/tomnewdelhi/Layout/20140220_180623_zpsc2355210.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/tomnewdelhi/media/Layout/20140220_180623_zpsc2355210.jpg.html)
Without the flash
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff318/tomnewdelhi/Layout/20140220_180635_zps4e41a4cd.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/tomnewdelhi/media/Layout/20140220_180635_zps4e41a4cd.jpg.html)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff318/tomnewdelhi/Layout/20140220_180643_zps80114bec.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/tomnewdelhi/media/Layout/20140220_180643_zps80114bec.jpg.html)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff318/tomnewdelhi/Layout/20140220_180652_zps35c61098.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/tomnewdelhi/media/Layout/20140220_180652_zps35c61098.jpg.html)
What do you think?
Im still not overly convinced however ive always been my own worst critic!
ive seen some epic weathering people have done however no explanation on how they did it!
Hi TommyD :wave:
I have tried the Woodland Scenic pens :hmmm:
They are easy to work with and do a great job :thumbsup:
But one word of caution
If you use IPA to clean your track it can also remove the paint :doh:
See here ;)
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=5480.0 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=5480.0)
dave :thumbsup:
Hi Tommy,
I would suggest that you don't have to be too clever when weathering track. A light spray of "track dirt" with an airbrush makes it look much better immediately. Add some oily bits where locos have stood, and some grass on underused bits. You can do more but it tends to produce diminishing returns.
Cheers Jon :)
Do you have an airbrush? A cheap one from Amazon (I got mine with the pump for under £60) is plenty good enough for weathering track, and I think makes this chore a breeze. The nice thing with an airbrush is you can get a uniform brownish muck over the ballast and rails, but still have time to wipe away the wet paint from the top of the rails.
Cheers, NeMo
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/56/thumb_6189.jpg) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=6189)
I am inclined to agree. Track tends to weather to a similar colour as both rails and sleepers accumulate the same mix of soot, oil, dirt etc. I just sprayed mine lightly with a can of railmatch sleeper grime. I wiped the top of the rails and then polished them with a bit of board and IPA once it was dry.
This kills 2 birds with one stone as it disguises the overscale height of the rails and covers the shiny plastic of the sleepers. Here is the finished effect on my layout.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee199/Karhedronuk/CIMG6326.jpg) (http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Karhedronuk/media/CIMG6326.jpg.html)
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee199/Karhedronuk/CIMG6329.jpg) (http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Karhedronuk/media/CIMG6329.jpg.html)
Another vote for Railmatch Sleeper Grime here :thumbsup:
Gives a great overall brown muck effect ;)
Paul
Yeah, I hand painted mine all those years ago, but I hadn't seen those pens before. They seem like an interesting product. Thanks for posting!
While I think the spraying produces a great effect, I have always harboured concerns about painting the inside of the rails, as I'm sure there must be wheel contact there. Seems to me if you paint the inside, you're cutting down an electrical contact surface?
Quote from: Bealman on February 21, 2014, 01:59:11 AM
While I think the spraying produces a great effect, I have always harboured concerns about painting the inside of the rails, as I'm sure there must be wheel contact there. Seems to me if you paint the inside, you're cutting down an electrical contact surface?
Electrical conductivity is almost exclusively through the top surface of the rails. The flanges are not tight enough to press against the inner sides of the rails. Indeed, if they were, the trains would not run properly.
The one place where the sides matter is with the point blades if you intend to use them for electrical conductivity. Overall I would say it is better to wire the frogs to a separate electrical switching system.
Thank you for your post!
Much of my existing stock have pizza cutter wheels which certainly would touch the inside of the rails.
On a very tight curve, flanges must hit inside rails.
To me, passage of current is imperative for smooth running. I see no point in jeopardizing this for the sake of cosmetics.
And if the outside rail is painted, the eye doesn't even pick up the unpainted one 9mm away.
I cannot agree that N scale locos pick up just from the tops of rails.
Sorry!
Quote from: Bealman on February 21, 2014, 09:33:20 AM
To me, passage of current is imperative for smooth running. I see no point in jeopardizing this for the sake of cosmetics.
And if the outside rail is painted, the eye doesn't even pick up the unpainted one 9mm away.
I cannot agree that N scale locos pick up just from the tops of rails.
I've never found before/after weathering track affects the performance of my model trains... which is more than can be said for the performance of the model train after weathering it directly! There's a real art to keeping paint away from wheels, contacts, and even axles (where it increases friction with the axle boxes).
Of course weathering points/switches is more complicated, so you do need to mask bits off to prevent the paint getting where you don't want it. One thing about airbrushes though is that the amounts of paint used are small compared to brushwork, and the paint is usually much thinner, so cleaning up any accidents isn't too hard.
Cheers, NeMo
I've been using Testors Rail Rust, Rail Brown and Rail-Tie Brown paint markers. After a few days I've come to like the look. At first I thought maybe the rail rust was too rusty, but I went and took some pics of local rail
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t287/scottmitchell74/Train%20Stuff/P1080835_zps1d4df5f6.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/scottmitchell74/media/Train%20Stuff/P1080835_zps1d4df5f6.jpg.html)
And here's a section of rail on my layout:
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t287/scottmitchell74/Train%20Stuff/P1080852_zps2b49295a.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/scottmitchell74/media/Train%20Stuff/P1080852_zps2b49295a.jpg.html)
I find it's close enough for my tastes. Plus, on some sections where I tried rail brown only, I couldn't see the result. It looked too close to the tracks' original color. Now, I use the tie brown first, and then immediately use the rust so that the colors blend a little so I don't have just glowing orange but a brownish-rust color. More or less. :)
Then I wipe off the excess on the top and so far, no problems with pick-up.
Looking good Scott :thumbsup:
The picture of the local track looks brilliant with the undergrowth, is it still used?
cheers John.
I think I'm too scared weathering my Fleischmann (read: made of gold dust) track :goggleeyes:
Yeah, it's some siding. The top rail is Union Pacific Mainline that goes for 100's (1000's?) of miles through Texas, New Mexico and beyond. The second one is siding as well.
Ok, stupid question coming up...... :dunce:
Anyone who's read my threads on being points phobic will will know I view them as a black art, now that I've committed myself (and happily so) to Unitrack, am I right in thinking that the electronic points are electrofrog?..........and therefore can I weather the track with my airbrush without worrying about the blade contacts on the points? :help:
Cheers in advance
Jason
Quote from: silverfox on February 21, 2014, 06:39:32 PM
I've committed myself (and happily so) to Unitrack, am I right in thinking that the electronic points are electrofrog?..........and therefore can I weather the track with my airbrush without worrying about the blade contacts on the points?
Unitrack #4 points can be configured to either electrofrog or insulfrog depending on what you want. There are two screws underneath the point. One sets to electrofrog or not, the other sets to power routing or not (in other words, whether electricity is sent in the direction of the point or not). So they're quite flexible and sophisticated (but there is apparently a mistake on the mouldings, so be sure to read this PDF (http://www.kato-unitrack.co.uk/images/Kato_PDF/Kato_Power_Route_Help.pdf) on the Kato website).
However, experience with paint and glue has taught me that these can seep into the plastic case, shorting wires and/or jamming mechanisms. So, before adding extra ballast (which I think improves the look) I carefully built up a sort of rim around the point using UHU glue, just enough to stop any seepage.
Airbrushing won't be a particular problem because electricity isn't directed through the moving rails but through wires in the body of the point. But paint can jam the mechanism, so I think it's still a good idea to use masking tape to cover any flexible or moving parts while airbrushing.
Cheers NeMo
I pre-weather my track using Halford's Grey Primer and wood dye. You can see the detailed method and the results in my layout thread here. http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=5831.135 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=5831.135)
Quote from: Chinahand on February 21, 2014, 06:54:16 PM
I pre-weather my track using Halford's Grey Primer and wood dye. You can see the detailed method and the results in my layout thread here. http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=5831.135 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=5831.135)
Looks really nice. I take it the wood dye is what's making the sleepers looking so dirty and greasy?
Cheers, NeMo
That's right NeMo and the grey primer shows through to highlight the grain and give that 'silvered' effect you get on old, weathered timber.
Thanks NeMo and Chinahand,
The points I'm using are all #6 as I understand they are less prone to problems, but they are just metal covers underneath?
Regards
Jason
Quote from: silverfox on February 21, 2014, 07:01:28 PM
The points I'm using are all #6 as I understand they are less prone to problems, but they are just metal covers underneath?
I don't know the answer to this; haven't used #6s.
Apart from a more gentle curve, yes, they are better in the sense that the moving part of point tucks into the rail better, so there's less risk of derailments. The #4 points are generally very good, but you may find one or two pieces of stock won't go through them (mostly older stock, to be honest, but in my case including both of my Dapol 9Fs).
But in other regards the #4s are newer and technically superior, having the option of electro- and insulfrog, and the option of power routing or not; the #6s are, it seems from reading the Unitrack site (http://www.kato-unitrack.co.uk/kato-unitrack-20-202-6-radii-718mm-28-15-electric-left-hand-point-turnout-1883-0.html), all electrofrog and power-routing (so basically like a typical Peco electrofrog point, which may mean you'll need to use insulated fishplates to achieve certain things).
Cheers, NeMo
Thanks NeMo,
My trackplan is fairly simple and insulfrog points would work ok, therefore hopefully the weathering should prove straight forward from a conductivity angle if the power is routed inside the points.
Cheers again
Jason
Quote from: NeMo on February 21, 2014, 07:09:41 PM
reading the Unitrack site[/url], all electrofrog and power-routing (so basically like a typical Peco electrofrog point, which may mean you'll need to use insulated fishplates to achieve certain things).
The need for insulated fishplates is mostly a Peco-ism. Most other vendors who provide electrofrog points also fit internal switching. The Kato ones, and Fleischmann both have internal switching so you can treat them just like insulfrog points. It's Kato, and the first rule of Kato products is "it just works".
All of this is turning me into a Kato believer! But it's too late now!! :'(
Quote from: EtchedPixels on February 21, 2014, 10:33:28 PM
It's Kato, and the first rule of Kato products is "it just works".
So Kato is the Mac of the model train world? Peco would be Windows (works great, often looks great, but may need some fiddling). What would Linux be then??? :D
Cheers, NeMo
Hornby Dublo 3 rail. :D
Quote from: NeMo on February 23, 2014, 08:38:26 AM
What would Linux be then??? :D
FastTrack in 2mm FS. Almost there, but still needs a soldering iron :D
And I'd put Peco down as CP/M ;)
:laughabovepost: :laughabovepost:
Now you people are goin' back to the computer jargon I do understand. Can a Commodore 64 be bought on fleabay?
Quote from: Bealman on February 23, 2014, 09:51:07 AM
Now you people are goin' back to the computer jargon I do understand. Can a Commodore 64 be bought on fleabay?
Apparently so. Just looked! And for surprisingly healthy prices -- £50 seems typical!
Quote from: tutenkhamunsleeping on February 23, 2014, 09:44:03 AM
Quote from: NeMo on February 23, 2014, 08:38:26 AM
What would Linux be then??? :D
FastTrack in 2mm FS. Almost there, but still needs a soldering iron :D
And I'd put Peco down as CP/M ;)
:laughabovepost:
Cheers, NeMo
Cool... but I'll put me moderator's hat on here, let's get back to topic.
Weathering track!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: