Model Railroading > My First Weathering Attempts

Here are three of my first attempts at weathering rolling stock.
I used ScaleTrains basic cars and honestly can't remember everything I did to get to this this point with each of these cars.
Each car was done using different techniques (the BN, for example, was almost totally done with Pan Pastels).
Various methods included washes, acrylic paints, oil paints, stipling rust paint on roofs, and Pan Pastels.
Along the way, I amassed a big assortment of various paints, washes, brushes, etc.
I learned much from this, including that there are no "rules" and it's my railroad to do as I wish.
It's really an interesting experience to take a beautiful, bright, shiny new car and systematically ruin it so it looks old!
I'm not sure I would attempt this with a $250 locomotive.
Lots of fun!
Looking forward to more of this!
Phil

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Here's the rest of the photos . . .
Phil

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I like them, nice work.

Jon in Az

Posted from Android

Thanks Jon!
I'm not pleased with the results of the UP car, but it was a learning experience.
The blotchy rust on one side is, as I recall, too much oil paint that I didn't drag down the side of the car.
The UP roof is stippled oil (rust) paint and I think it looks okay.
My gal, Jan, is a weathering whiz and she did the BN car entirely by herself using Pan Pastels.
I got a lot of my inspiration from The Rust Bucket site.
Phil
 

Looks like you nailed it on the third car!

Those look great, especially that last one! Do you seal up the pan pastels with dullcote or anything? Or just apply, and you're finished?
   -Caleb

Thanks for the compliments, guys!
Yes, I DullCote before, in between processes, and when finished.
The oils dry really slowly (sometimes takes days when I apply too much).
I like dry-brushing some colors on.
I don't have an airbrush and prefer applying finishes individually.
Contrary to what I've seen/learned, I even applied some colors and then wiped them off with a paper towel.
As is the case with much of this, if you screw it up, there's usually a way to remove it and go back to the beginning and start over.
The rust color on the sides of the Willamette car were created by pressing nearly-dry brushes with rust color (spot rust).
If you're new at this, just get a cheapie car and experiment.
There's no judging, it's your RR, and if you screw it up, you can start over.
I waited way too long to attempt this, fearing that I would make a mistake and ruin something.
The worst that can happen (and, it won't) is that you might have to throw a car away.
Check out The Rust Bucket and learn from those guys!
Go for it!
It's fun and liberating to start with a bright, shiny, perfect car and see if you can make it look old (and real!).
Phil

Excellent!    I like 'em all!   .....could have sworn I smelled the rust.    Mark  <><

Actually, the real things look better than the photos.
I had a heckuva time photographing them with the lighting, depth of field, etc.
My layout is in the garage and not conducive to good photography.
Thanks for your encouragement!
Phil

Looks like a good start!

I have just started myself, and have found that prototype photos help. 

I like number three the best..Number two is overdone even though some prototype boxcars look pretty bad, it doesn 't translate to HO very well.

I agree that the UP is way overdone, but I learned much from that effort.
Subtlety works better.
Phil

Looks very nice, indeed!   But, wouldn't cars that had been outdoors long enough to be weathered that much also likely to have been hammered by the graffiti artists?

Just sayin'....

These cars have operated mostly in the Pacific Northwest; specifically Idaho.
The taggers don't like cold weather.
Plus, everyone here carries. :O)
Phil

chakk Wrote:
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> Looks very nice, indeed!   But, wouldn't cars
> that had been outdoors long enough to be weathered
> that much also likely to have been hammered by the
> graffiti artists?
>
> Just sayin'....

Not if it's a 60s-70s era built car (Evans 5100) that has lingered in its factory paint for 20-30 years.  The "modern" tagging you see today that covers huge chunks of car sides only became prevalent within the past decade or so.  Before that (pre-2000s) you mostly saw a few rattlecan scrawls here and there, if that.  All depends upon the era being modeled.