Weathering Techniques

After you've been in the hobby for a while, there will come a time when you begin to notice that your stuff looks a little too clean. Yeah, maybe some dust from sitting out on the layout or on the bench, the occasional fingerprint here and there, some stray lubricant on the trucks possibly. But compared to the real thing, your models are spotless. And, while brand new models look dynamite sitting on the hobby store shelf, for me nothing looks more bland than a sparkling new loco pulling a shiny, clean train around a layout.

One of the easiest, most significant AND most inexpensive thing you can do for your models is to weather them. Make them look like they're working hard for a living, pulling your trains through a variety of atmospheric conditions over thousands of miles of varied terrain.

Go out and do some railfanning. Watch a passing train go by and notice the different shades of dust, dirt, grime, rust, sludge, scratches and spatters that mankind and Mother Nature has decorated the locos and cars with. You'll no doubt spot some almost brand new equipment traveling with the grungiest, dirtiest, beat-up P'sOS that you've ever seen. It's been said by at least one modeler that the proper weathering ratio for every ten cars in an average train is this:

* 1 car is almost brand new.

* 7 cars display some fairly- to well-used looks.

* 2 cars look downright trashed.

Yes, you'll have the occasional exception. I, too, have seen BN unit grain trains where 90 of the 100 grain hoppers just came off the Trinity company floor, bet even then you could see the beginnings of rust and brake shoe dust building up on those brand new trucks and undersides. Most of those cars today, if they haven't been repainted for BNSF yet, are faded to light green, have some primer showing thru the paint, wear different colored trough hatches on the top coated with diesel soot, have a real concentrated dose of grime and rust splattered on the ends from the wheels and display all sorts of scratches, rust and dirt streaks, etc. all over the sides.

What about locomotives?? For some good examples, take a look at the locos over at the "Prototype Photos" section of this site. Have a good look at the CP AC4400CW pix that Garry took, then look at the BNSF SD70MAC pix. Keep in mind that all these loco pictures were taken 1 week to 6 months after they were put into service. On the '70MACs, one roof might have a light exhaust dusting atop it while another in the same train will have a heavier accumulation of crud. It all varies, but it all exists. Adding these effects to your models is THE easiest way to add a touch of realism.

What follows are some of the steps and techniques that I've employed over the years to make some cool looking models.

#1 - Study the Prototype.

Go trackside. Take a notebook, pens/pencils, camera, sodas, bottled water, good cigars, etc. Take notes/photos of where different weathering types show up. Notice where grime builds up. Notice how dirt, etc. will stick to some graphics and not to others. Notice how and where paint/graphics fade. Notice how heat buildup near and on the tops of locos affects the finish. Go online to the numerous rail-related photo galleries and look for the same things. The same goes for railfan magazines.

#2 - Study Weathered Models.

It's been said that studying other peoples' work will only make your work look like their's. I disagree. Not only have I studied the prototype, but I've also studied the exceptional work of modelers like Bob Rivard, Mike Buddie, Mike Rose, Dave Hussey, Dave Bontrager, Gary Walton and Jim Six, just to name a few. All of these modelers have written several articles on how to create exceptional models, weathering and all.

#4 - Take the Plunge.

But first...

#3 - Arm Yourself.

Ah Yes, tools and materials. The following represents an overview of an accumulation of stuff spanning several years. If you're just starting out, you'll obviously want to start out small and work up to more. First off...

Tools.

I use at least a half dozen brushes. They include spotters, liners, chisel tips and a couple fan brushes, all in different sizes and different bristle types. I have some real nice ones and some real "El Cheapo's". I've even got a few of those little foam makeup brushes that my wife insists on "trying" to throw away. I typically pick up one or two new ones a month and throw away maybe one every two to three years, so I have a fair accumulation of brushes to work with. Of these, I keep a pair of small round tipped spotters strictly liquid cement/MEK application, two more for detail painting and a pair of liners for other miscelaneous paint touch up projects. Other than that, the rest of the collection is fair game for use with weathering.

I also use my airbrushes with plenty of available jars and color cups. Q-tips and paper towels are also a must.

Materials.

* About 6 years ago, I purchased a real nice set of pastel chalks. I believe there are 30 colors in the set, and I still use this set today with PLENTY of chalk left.

* A good set of colored pencils. The more colors the better.

* Artist oil and acrylic tube paints. Burnt and Raw Sienna and Burnt and Raw Umber, Black and White.

* A good selection of model paint. I use it all - Floquil, Polly Scale, Model Master (both regular and Acryl). Clear overcoats from all of the above.

* Turpentine, laquer thinner, Acryl thinner, isopropyl alchohol, Micro set, windshield washer fluid, water.

OK - now...

#4 - Take the Plunge.

Chalk Weathering - Perfect if you're just starting out.

Paint Weathering - The next step for cool weathering tricks.

More will follow.

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