Best Of Adventures in Weathering

[chicken45]

Some closeups of the "hero" containers.

[Chris333]

I'm gonna have to re-read this whole thing when my FVM PRR H30's show up in the mail. They should be weathered similarly since they mostly carried bulk cement.

[Lemosteam]

Josh, great thread.  I'm still nervous about doing things like this, but knowing you, you don't stop till you are happy and that is all that matters.  I probably don't spend enough time on this board.

Tom, Josh was a monster before all of this- don't feel bad!

[chicken45]

@Chris333 if you find any pictures, do share! I'll likely pick up those covered hoppers. 
@Lemosteam LOL. Now that you got an airbrush, you can work wonders!

It's pretty important to spray a fade on the paint.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

This looks fantastic. Puts my weathering efforts right in their place!

It'll look even more amazing in that realistic setting you're talking about.

[DeltaBravo]

I saw these in person last week. The photos don't do it justice.

[chicken45]

I saw these in person last week. The photos don't do it justice.

Thanks, dude!

So...the adventure continues!
Next up, her majesty the GE44 Tonner.



Ooh! Shiny!
First she got a sprayed on coat of Future.


I was having trouble with the clearcoat. In fact, I'm terrified to paint anything gloss. I'm not good at it yet.
At first, I was spraying the dang thing just would not look glossy. I concluded I was possibly spraying too dry/light/far away. I got in there and sprayed a little thicker until I got visible gloss. I never did anything to an assembled locomotive before so I realized a little too late I'd have to spray around the hand rails.  At this point in the photo, the Future is dry to the touch but it did even out a little more. It doesn't look as bad. I can live with it. The other side was a little better.


After all that, I sprayed a the wheels with that black primer that gums up my airbrush (worth it, though) and gave the trucks an overspray with some gray to represent ballast dust, and browns for dirt. I did some black/brown washes on the walkways.





I sprayed some brown to creep up the sides. I also sprayed some black and brown in top. I think I need to tone the gloss down a little more. "above the waist."
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10978545_10108065149527584_8903729270281146403_n.jpg?oh=2f9915378e48c3ac7868656f4e890d2a&oe=5551CBFC&__gda__=1431605379_4ab31217b159ab7c9ac81a383fac0cc1

The ends were hit with a black wash and once dry, I put dirt streaks with burnt umber. I stippled towards the top, let it dry a little, and then applied a wet flat brush in a downward motion.


I also painted the handrails yellow. I was told to use Pactra Racing Car paints on handrails because they are flexable and perfect for use on handrails. I'm not sure how to use these as the consistency is a little strange for me. It's almost gummy.

What's next?
I ordered some Vallejo paints from MicroMark. Once that arrives, I'll finish the model. I will tone down the gloss with thin soot/dirt oversprays.

[Santa Fe Guy]

And who said to themselves that they couldn't weather. No stopping you now. looks damn fine.
Rod.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

I also painted the handrails yellow. I was told to use Pactra Racing Car paints on handrails because they are flexable and perfect for use on handrails. I'm not sure how to use these as the consistency is a little strange for me. It's almost gummy.

If your Pactra paint is gummy then it needs to be thinned. If you are using it to brush paint the handrails than it can be a little thicker than it needs to be to airbrush. Pactra has a thinner that i use and it works fine. I would use there thinner because it is a special RC paint that will stay flexible and you don't want to lose that. 

[VonRyan]

I'll wait till you lot decide to weather some circle-keystone FVM H30s before I even think about spraying mine with dullcote.
Dullcote is the limit I hit with my FVM B&O wagontop boxcars. I just couldn't bring myself to attempt weathering them.

[Philip H]

Saw these in person as well yesterday. The photos really don't do them justice.

[chicken45]

I'll wait till you lot decide to weather some circle-keystone FVM H30s before I even think about spraying mine with dullcote.
Dullcote is the limit I hit with my FVM B&O wagontop boxcars. I just couldn't bring myself to attempt weathering them.

What's the worst that could happen? Do a box car first. You have nothing to fear with a light hand, and Tom Mann('s book).

[chicken45]

A shot by our very own Lee Weldon over at @John 's layout!

[chicken45]

I sprayed this with a little more thinned dirt on the roof and trucks. Not as shiny. I messed the roof a little but with a careless whisperfingerprint. I added some exaust and don't think it looks horrible.




I guess I'm done with this. It is not a heavy weathered prototype but I still feel like it is missing that sizzle, that essence of bacon.
Thoughts, anyone?

[chicken45]

Started another project today.
A Western Maryland gon for use in coke container service.



I sprayed the trucks with the usual black/roof brown.
I sprayed the sides with Vallejo rust. Let it chill for a spell, and took a flat, 90% alcohol dowsed brush and scraped off some of the rust. At this point I think it looks like I took too much off some of the lettering


Other side:


A close up with some very pleasing streaks!