12-05-2012, 10:08 AM
Thanks Ralph,
It's pretty easy to do, and on a smaller layout or module, it's also easy to manage. For large layouts it might be a lot of work, but could be done to just foreground tracks perhaps.
Anyway, I first spray painted the entire track a dull green (yes that's green) Then I painted the rail a rust brown colour, for which I used an enamel paint, thinned with a suitable thinner, and let it run onto the spikes and other parts of the track that might be made of metal and turn rusty.
I then used an ocre yellow , very much thinned into a wash and randomly applied it to several ties , and because it's a wash, it applies fast and thin. I used a similar wash to randomly stain grey enamel, and again a light pass with the brown over several ties. I got inspiration from this technique by Mike Cofalone's Algash scenery articles in MRH magazine, I just used different paints (he uses thinned artist colours). I didn't wait until each wash was dry, I deliberately let them run and blend, creating even more colour variations and no stark contrasts.
The overal look creates that of heavily used, old track, with the occasional dab of moss growing through (hence the green), but showing age (grey), rust and brown creosote (brown) , and other stains and fungy (ocre yellow), but note that nothing jumps out, particularly the lighter washes I used very sparingly. The great thing is, if it doesn't look right, just go over it with another wash before it's dry and it'll blend in. Otherwise wait until dry (which isn't long ) and paint over it.
After the base scenery is done, I will ballast the tracks, which will make these ties and the track stand out, without actually 'standing out' , if you know what I mean. It will then get some more final weathering using powders etc.
Koos
It's pretty easy to do, and on a smaller layout or module, it's also easy to manage. For large layouts it might be a lot of work, but could be done to just foreground tracks perhaps.
Anyway, I first spray painted the entire track a dull green (yes that's green) Then I painted the rail a rust brown colour, for which I used an enamel paint, thinned with a suitable thinner, and let it run onto the spikes and other parts of the track that might be made of metal and turn rusty.
I then used an ocre yellow , very much thinned into a wash and randomly applied it to several ties , and because it's a wash, it applies fast and thin. I used a similar wash to randomly stain grey enamel, and again a light pass with the brown over several ties. I got inspiration from this technique by Mike Cofalone's Algash scenery articles in MRH magazine, I just used different paints (he uses thinned artist colours). I didn't wait until each wash was dry, I deliberately let them run and blend, creating even more colour variations and no stark contrasts.
The overal look creates that of heavily used, old track, with the occasional dab of moss growing through (hence the green), but showing age (grey), rust and brown creosote (brown) , and other stains and fungy (ocre yellow), but note that nothing jumps out, particularly the lighter washes I used very sparingly. The great thing is, if it doesn't look right, just go over it with another wash before it's dry and it'll blend in. Otherwise wait until dry (which isn't long ) and paint over it.
After the base scenery is done, I will ballast the tracks, which will make these ties and the track stand out, without actually 'standing out' , if you know what I mean. It will then get some more final weathering using powders etc.
Koos
Be sure to visit my model railroad blog at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.namrr.blogspot.com">http://www.namrr.blogspot.com</a><!-- m -->