Model Railroading > Even more manged up - Ex. Santa Fe Tangent GATC 4180 Airslide

Heavily influenced by prototype pics of the real BNSF 808003. Initial aging took about 90 minutes or so to complete. Started with Testors weathering paint pens here and there. Masked off the few recent patches, then washed on various thinned acrylic browns and rusty reds. Last, a finishing pass with Testors dullcote. I may go back over with a fresh set of FRA-224 reflective stripes, not 100% on that part just yet.

* UPDATE *
So, I took another look at the hopper today, and felt it needed some more attention. Back to the decals, this time a selection of about two dozen cut and spliced rust streaks from Weathering Solutions. Then, again referring to the prototype, there were several small but still noticeable black graffiti stags across both sides, now represented with about a dozen more decals from Microscale. A little more dabbing here and there (and along the roof) with the Testors weathering paint pens (Roof Brown, Rail Tie Brown, Rust). Finally a few replacement yellow reflective stripes on each side, for a little extra color. Still need to hit it with another pass of dullcote, but I'm liking the overall results better now.


Before, middle, and after rosters below...



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/16 01:01 by MrMRL.

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Now this one's ready to head off my Scale Trains oil train.  Thanks Tangent!

Mr. MRL


Again, before, middle, and after pics...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/16 00:48 by MrMRL.

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Takes guts to grundge up an expensive hopper car like that! Nice job!

Tom Y

And I wouldn't replace all of the yellow stripes. Just a few of them to make it look like the One Spot did the job.

Guts? Nah.  Just paint, chalks and time.

I'd argue that it takes guts to run a train of completely unweathered cars.

- Jeff Carlson

icancmp193 Wrote:
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> Takes guts to grundge up an expensive hopper car
> like that! Nice job!
>
> Tom Y

icancmp193 Wrote:
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> Takes guts to grundge up an expensive hopper car
> like that! Nice job!
>
> Tom Y

But he picked one of the best roadnames to deface!  Methinks more grunge around the middle top is in order.  Good job!

Oh well to each his own. The fresh out of the shops model was gorgeous.

railwaybaron Wrote:
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> Oh well to each his own. The fresh out of the
> shops model was gorgeous.

Well, the fresh-out-the-package model was clean, I'll give you that. But it was hardly accurate weathering wise to what these prototypes looks like today. This ATSF paint job in particular is some 38 years old now (NEW 6-78). Only the various white and brown BNSF and number patches along with a few small data marks have been added within the last 5-8 years. So, my intent was to highlight those 38 years worth of loving service to the ATSF and BNSF, while preserving the newer patches under a layer of masking tape until the job was completed. I'd argue the model looks more gorgeous now rather than when it was first removed from the packaging. But now I'm kinda just tooting my own horn, so I'll back off.

I can understand for manufacturers why it can be a difficult decision to produce a recently patched paint job on a much older paint schemed model.  Obvious weathering issues come up with the wide range of sun faded paints and deteriorated logos and data due to decades of outdoor exposure.  Compromises end up having to be made in order to save on final product costs.  In this particular case with the Tangent hopper, it appears they chose to produce a wonderfully accurate, freshly painted 1978 Santa Fe model (complete with all its original late 1970s lube data), with fresh 2010 era BNSF patches then slapped directly over the Santa Fe numbering. A now obvious and glaring issue (to some) that is just begging to be rectified by aging and knocking back all that 1978 paint to jive with the newer BNSF patchwork. Hence, all the weathering and aging you now see above.  If I was instead modeling late '70s / early '80s Santa Fe, I could completely understand leaving the model clean, but then again I'd just purchase the ATSF model, not the contemporary patched car.

Mr. MRL - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

        That 'LT WT' was a bit much at 182,100 lbs at first.

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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>         That 'LT WT' was a bit much at
> 182,100 lbs at first.

Yeah, pretty high number, but as of 2015 that's apparently what is marked on the real car...

www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4262830

Tangent's 1978 ATSF model on the other hand shows what I can only assume is a more accurate "LT WT 69500".

Mr. MRL

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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>         That 'LT WT' was a bit much at
> 182,100 lbs at first.

Since most covered hoppers used as buffer cars are semi-permanently filled with sand, that would not be an inaccurate number. As MrMRL indicated, the prototype is stenciled the same because of the added ballast.

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