Viperman's HO layout progress - Printable Version

Viperman's HO layout progress - Printable Version

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Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - foulrift - 08-06-2009

Steven- Nice job. Before I painted my tracks I checked out a lot of layout articles to see how others were doing it. I finally found a formula that worked and looked good. Using PollyS acrylic paint the formula called for 1/2oz rust and 1/4oz tarnished black. Now given the fact that these are 1oz bottles,I took a clean bottle with lid and just doubled the formula.This gave me enough paint to do all my track.
Hope this helps.
Bob

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - iis612 - 08-06-2009

Steven,

The boxcar red looks, let me be direct, wrong. The rust looks much better. It looks like it was applied heavily. Did you brush paint it?
I like the formula that foulrift posted. Keep in mind that sidings and spurs will have a far different color than a main.

I am still loving the progress.

Matt

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - Russ Bellinis - 08-06-2009

Foulrift's suggestion sounds good. The rust looks too light. I think it would be perfect for the inside of a hopper or gon that was in regular service and picking up a little surface rust on the return trip empty. Tracks that would sit out in the weather would rust a lot heavier than the surface rust, but the boxcar red is just a little off.

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - viperman - 08-06-2009

I did apply all the paints by brush. I don't even own an airbrush.

The boxcar red does not look right to me either, but that is what I was reading in some articles/books on the subject. The rust to me doesn't quite look dark enough, so I do like the idea of adding the black to it too. I'll continue painting the ties in boxcar red, since that does have more of a wood look to it, then apply a black wash over them to "grunge" them up a bit.

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - doctorwayne - 08-06-2009

viperman Wrote:I did apply all the paints by brush. I don't even own an airbrush.

In my opinion, brush painting is the best method for painting rail - a fairly stiff brush lets you "work" the paint around moulded-on details on the ties, and a fairly wide brush (at least 1/2") allows you to paint more rail between re-fills. Brush painting also obviates the need for masking nearby scenery, etc., and avoids the dried paint "dust" that fills the air when airbrushing or spraying - dust that will eventually contribute to your future track-cleaning pleasure. Wink

If you use a water-based paint, such as PollyScale, there's no odour to contend with, and clean-up is easy. I generally paint 12' or 15' of track (both sides of both rails), then use a dry rag stretched over my fingertips to wipe the dried (but not hardened) paint from the rail tops. You can do that much track even if you have only five minutes of "spare" time, and clean-up is as simple as wiping the top of the paint bottle and rinsing out your brush.

viperman Wrote:The boxcar red does not look right to me either, but that is what I was reading in some articles/books on the subject. The rust to me doesn't quite look dark enough, so I do like the idea of adding the black to it too. I'll continue painting the ties in boxcar red, since that does have more of a wood look to it, then apply a black wash over them to "grunge" them up a bit.

Rail colour varies due to many factors, including locale, climate, amount of time in-service, commodities carried, etc., etc. For the most part, I used PollyScale Roof Brown, straight from the bottle. Darker colours seem to minimise rail height, while lighter colours can have the same effect if you also lighten the ties.
[Image: 2007-01-10034.jpg]

Here are a few prototype examples:

The track nearest the viewer is new - note the dark ties and fairly bright rust on both the rail and tieplates. On the older tracks, dirt and grime has softened the rust colour and lightened the ties:
[Image: Latestprotofoe-toes002x.jpg]

The track in the foreground has a light patina of rust on the top of the rail (difficult to model, and still expect your trains to run Misngth

), but the sides of the rail are pretty dark - a combination of grease, oil, and dirt. The ties are barely distinguishable:
[Image: STELCO77.jpg]

For mainline track, there are lots of colour options:
[Image: June2009railroadvacation061.jpg]

(Photo courtesy of Mister Nutbar)
[Image: CN2325-a.jpg]

[Image: CNR6060westboundnearGrimsbywithpriv.jpg]

Wayne

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - viperman - 08-06-2009

After reading over and looking at the pictures in doctorwayne's post, I think my next step will be to apply a coat of the rust over the boxcar red as a test to both darken the rust and lighten the boxcar red

doctorwayne, thank you for that post! Definitely gave me something to think about. And those are some great pictures too!

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - foulrift - 08-06-2009

As far as the amount of rust on the sides of the rails is concerned,you can always go back after the paint is dry and add to the rails. Just remember not to get paint on the stock rail of your turnouts. I also used rail tie brown to paint the ties but I also added some weathering to the ties.Some random gray tones and some rust on the ties.I also added some dry brushed oily black.
I did a little experimentation on a piece of scrap rail before I did the actual paint job.
Bob

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - HO King - 08-10-2009

Very good it will work out well for you .The correct name is (Polyester Epoxy Resin ) I think you can find it at any
hardware store .I found mine in the quart size at Homedepot. Thumbsup

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - viperman - 08-10-2009

I'll have to look for that

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - viperman - 08-27-2009

Since my son kept urging me to, I decided to start painting the buildings I have, to start weathering them. Drybrushed some rust paint under the seams to give it that rusty look. I was being random. The building looks good, but could either use more rust, or a light mist of gray primer to tone it down. All feedback is welcome.

[Image: MYlayout-39.jpg]

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - eightyeightfan1 - 08-27-2009

Looks good!
I'd add a couple of streakes though that are longer. Just one or two.

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - viperman - 08-27-2009

Thank 88!

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - doctorwayne - 08-27-2009

On corrugated steel or iron, the first rust usually appears at the ends of the sheets. On a wall or roof, it bleeds down fairly evenly onto the sheets below. As the rusting continues, some areas may do so more quickly than others, resulting in longer or heavier streaks. Rust also occurs at the fasteners (nails, screws or bolts), and at places where the sheets have been damaged by external forces.
Painted sheets may rust in the same way, or, as in the example below, very differently:
[album]1372[/album]

The roof of this freight shed, while not corrugated metal, still appears to have rusted away along its bottom edge (and partway up the far end, too), sufficiently so that it has been repaired by cutting away the rusted-out edge, which has then been replace with new metal. You can see how the rust from the original roof has washed down and streaked the newer patch.
[album]1373[/album]

For your structure, I'd suggest more uniform streaking all along the area below both rows of sheets (onto the horizontal material below floor level, too). Next, mask-off the upper row of siding, and then the lower row. Using the same colour as you used for the walls, spray the below-floor cladding from a high, steep angle, making a quick pass from left to right. This should put a very light coat of paint mostly on the lower part of that area. Remove the masking from the lower row of corrugated siding, and repeat with a quick spray pass, again from a high, steep angle, and yet again, after removing the tape, for the top row of siding. This should soften the rust effect without hiding it.

You can also add the rust staining itself with an airbrush: simply mask each of the vertical wall sections individually except for the bottom one, then aim your spray at the lower edge of the lowest row of masking tape. Remove the masking from the lowest wall section, and spray again, repeating until you reach the top.
This structure, at left, was built from some corrugated basswood siding that I had laying around (it encloses some electrical gear and the access stairs to the yard crane). After painting it a dark boxcar reddish colour, it was masked as described, and painted. There are no overlapping courses of material or even any lines showing the vertical separation between sheets: it's all suggested by the paint.
[album]520[/album]

This structure, done with a similar method, is roofed with separate sheets, and is meant to represent a roof which is repainted fairly regularily, even though it had already begun to rust (and continues to bleed onto the newer paint)
[album]288[/album]

Wayne

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - jglfan - 08-28-2009

I think it is important to make several shades of rust, one color just won't look right on a large area such as your walls. Rust gets darker as it ages. A great color to use as a base, surprisingly, is Southern Pacific's daylight red. Mixed with black in varying amounts, it gives a very nice rust color you can control.

Re: Viperman's HO layout progress - viperman - 08-28-2009

hmm, some stuff to think about here