Weathering of todays UP diesel still in SP colors

[faraway]

Did someone weather SP diesel in very bad shape as they can be found on lots of photos after 2000.
Three examples:
http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/7/...758000.jpg Faded out like hell
http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/4/...311200.jpg That is my favorite!
http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/7/...329200.jpg A brownie
I am clueless how to do that. It looks like a total repaint rather than some wash etc. Did someone master that task and can give advise? I do not want to ruin my engines.

[Justinmiller171]

Here is another weathered SP engine for you,
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab4/J...1280221143

[Gary S]

I've never faded black that drastically, but can mention some techniques which may or may not work, so proceed with caution!

First, there is the old trick of spraying the model with Dullcote, letting it dry, and then applying alcohol over it. This causes the DullCote to turn blotchy white. Somewhere on the net there is a page showing the technique. Google search on dullcote alcohol fade weathering or such... sorry for not taking the time to do it for you.

The other technique is to take some clear water based varnish and sparingly add tan or antique white to it so you get a translucent white... use that to fade the model.

Definitely try these techniques on some junkers before doing it on the real thing!

A final thought, a total repaint may be the way to go, as you mention.

[P5se Camelback]

Reinhard ...

I'm wondering if you have considered purchasing an undecorated shell, mixing paint to match that #7942 that is your favorite (I like that one, too!) and painting it with custom-mixed colors, rather than risk ruining the factory paint on one of your expensive locomotives. In my very humble opinion, you have the talent to to the job and pull it off with style!

The major difficulty of the whole project would be the actual mixing of the paint to get the colors that match those on #7942, but if you approach the problem with a notepad, pen, a few jars of paint and an eyedropper or two, keeping track of the mix formula as you add drops, you will not use much paint to discover the required shade of weathered, brown-tinted medium-towards-darker gray, you would be on your way!

I used that eyedropper process myself when working in a consultant design office and needing to arrive at a color that the client had requested for a molded plastic product that I was painting an operating full-sized model of for presentation. The paint had to represent the finish and color of an injection molded part. Start with ten drops of the "base" color and then, using the eyedropper, add one or two drops of the next color to tint, stir, compare against the sample and then add another drop or two of that color or another color that you see in the color to be matched. It helps to have a good eye for color, but as I have been watching your model work over the past six months, I think that you can do the job.

It's not easy, it takes time, but in the end it is worth it. I have been mixing my own colors for faded paint, starting with something close and building from there, one or two drops at a time for several dozen years, mostly for box cars. It has gotten a little easier over the years... but it's still a trial and error process. However, with each attempt, more knowledge of color is gained and then each successive mix attempt involves fewer false starts and yields a formula that if followed carefully, will give you the same color each time you mix it!

Good luck!