Another curiosity question. Weathering Your Equipment.

[Spades]

I always wx wheels, coupler and trucks, even a newish car might get a blue bearing cap. Weathering the car body if it's a bright plasticty color it was going to get some fading.  If there is a photo of the actual car makes weathering more likely.  I know you will figure it out.  Look forward to seeing the results.

[Dwight in Toronto]

Re: weathering - I long ago accepted that I would be kind of a lone voice in the wilderness, at least amongst the serious, talented modelers here on The Railwire, in that this aspect of the hobby is just not for me. 

I have no good argument as to why.  I completely understand the rationale that the quest for convincing realism demands it.  And I do indeed admire the true-to-life examples that frequent this forum (conversely, I have also seen plenty of cringe-worthy ‘learner’ attempts, at train shows and such, that did nothing more than ruin a nice locomotive and/or rolling stock). 

As I say, I’m not sure why I prefer the factory-fresh look on my layout.  Maybe it’s just an acknowledgment or respect for the appreciable acquisition cost of the pieces we buy, and a reluctance to alter them in such a way.  Or maybe it’s just a carry-over of a fastidious character of neatness that impacts other areas of my life (I’ve always liked my vehicles to look show-room clean, both inside and out; a preference for a minimalist style of home decoration; organization and tidiness during “kitchen duty”, etc). 

Anyway, fwiw, there ya go … an alternative point of view!

[TrainCat2]

I always enjoyed bringing heavily weathered prized Micro-Trains to collector events in the early 2000’s. Such priceless looks on some faces. So go for it!  Mann them up!

[John]

The majority of my rolling stock is not weathered . and likely never will be other than the dust that accumulates it while it sits on the layout .. model railroading is a big tent .. there is no correct way of doing it ..

[ednadolski]

The majority of my rolling stock is not weathered . and likely never will be other than the dust that accumulates it while it sits on the layout .. model railroading is a big tent .. there is not correct way of doing it ..

Is it scale dust?   

Ed

[John]

Is it scale dust?   

Ed

No -- I used scale dust from Arizona Rock & Mineral 

[John]

I asked OpenAI how to weather ..

Weathering an N-scale model railroad car involves making it look more realistic and less like a shiny, new model. Here are the basic steps to weather an N-scale model railroad car:

    Clean the model: Before weathering the model, make sure it is clean and free of any dust, dirt or oil. Use a clean, dry paintbrush to remove any loose debris from the model.

    Choose weathering materials: Decide on the type of weathering material you want to use. You can use dry pastel chalks, acrylic paints, weathering powders, or specialized weathering products like rust or grime.

    Apply weathering material: Apply the chosen weathering material to the model. Use a small brush or applicator to apply the weathering material lightly and gradually. Start with a small amount of weathering material and build up the effect gradually until you achieve the desired effect.

    Blend the weathering material: Once the weathering material is applied, use a soft brush or cotton swab to blend the material into the model. This will help create a more natural and realistic weathering effect.

    Add details: Add additional details to the model, such as rust streaks, oil stains, and dirt smudges. Use a fine brush or cotton swab to create these details.

    Seal the weathering: Once you are happy with the weathering effect, seal the model using a matte varnish or sealer. This will help protect the model and keep the weathering effect in place.

Overall, weathering an N-scale model railroad car can be a fun and rewarding process. By following these steps, you can create a more realistic and authentic-looking model that fits in better with your layout.

[NtheBasement]

Bright shiny cars just don't look right, but a lot of other stuff looks worse.  So for me weathering is not as high a priority as, say, painting the track to get rid of that shine on the rails, or scenicking the plywood.  I've weathered a lot of hoppers but haven't been brave enough to do any locos yet.

[Cajonpassfan]

I guess OpenAI doesn't care for weathering by airbrush...
Otto

[wm3798]

Given the high cost of rolling stock these days, the simple answer to the "I don't want to wreck my model" question is the endless supply of junk boxes one finds at train shows and swap meets, or if you've been in this racket long enough, probably under your own layout!

For a few bucks you can round up numerous victims that can be sent right to the laboratory for experimentation.  The details are coarse, the ladders are cast on, and the roof walks are thick and the brake wheels look like manhole covers.  You can slop them, spray them, powder them, and if you don't like it, you can strip them and start all over, or throw it aside and start the next one.



And who knows... when you're finished, you might have a car you're proud to run.  Letter it for the T&E (Trial and Error) and add it to your fleet having learned a thing or two.

Lee 

[NtheBasement]

The details are coarse, the ladders are cast on, and the roof walks are thick and the brake wheels look like manhole covers.

Hey, that's what all my cars look like... except no roof walks   

[490Steam]

I have weathered 90 percent of my rolling stock. Makes a huge difference. Like to share a photo but says I’m not allowed.

[peteski]

I have weathered 90 percent of my rolling stock. Makes a huge difference. Like to share a photo but says I’m not allowed.

For explanation see https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=43673.0

[milw12]

I'm more the @Spades camp, flat grimy black trucks/wheels and a flat clear coat seem to go a long way. A little lining and powder if I'm in the mood. It's a part of the hobby I'm indifferent overall about when concerning personal enjoyment, although I do appreciate the effort required when I see others' models.

Lucas

Edit: Decided to provide an example from the fleet for those interested, including a cautionary tale! Two MT reefers. ART is as described above, URTX practically fresh from the case, plastic wheels and all.

Two lessons here for me here, reefer yellow may not be the best example for comparing finishes. The mineral/boxcar red ends and roof do show the most improvement between the cars to knock down the shine, but I found it hard to photograph? At least the difference is apparent in a straight coat of flat black on the trucks, the biggest improvement in my book.

IIRC the ART reefer was hit with some Tamiya Flat rattle can which has had more satin results, which may have something to do with it. I realize the two cars look practically identical but I call it "subtle weathering"

[John]

We used to have "weathering challenges" here -- those seem to have died off .. while I appreciate the effort of those who do it well, I've kind of settled for plausible mediocrity - since don't have the talent to do those master pieces.  My last attempt in one of the challenges resulted in one comment that totally turned me off to sharing any work here - IIRC it was something about the model being covered in sludge .. I admit it wasn't great, but I was happy with it at the time