Large Scale Central

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Modeling
#21

John,

I had to laugh. Weathering is just one of those hitches for me as well. I love seeing very detailed weathered equipment but had a hard time doing it as well on my HO projects. Then like you I bit the bullet and did it and enjoyed it as much or more as any other building aspect.

Well it has reared its ugly head again. On my new first scratch built loco I want it to be pretty and shiny. Spend all that time making it how can you “ruin” it. But I know I want it that way so to ease my tension I will get it all shiny and new, take a “builders” photo of it, then put it into service and weather it and make it look like the work horse that it was.

I know once I start I will love it all the more.

#22

'Course, locos in the 19th century were kept shiny and bright by their proud crews, and overseas, I think especially in Britain and the colonies, locos have almost always been objects of this pride, beautifully painted and lovingly maintained.

Unless I’m very much mistaken, in real life, North American motive power was in good condition and kept at least fairly clean everywhere except in the back hills and during the depression, both conditions beloved by many modelers.

Overall, light weathering is most prototypical, even very light weathering. But I don’t let that stop me. I’d never let the facts get in the way of a good story!

On plastic factory-fresh models the best first step is to get rid of the shine. From there it’s possible to add the degree of weathering you want, a little at a time.

Many, many, locos wore shiny black coats all their lives. Just as they are for us, they were the pride of the line.

Lucky us… we have a whole basket of good reasons for not weathering our motive power. I do re-letter mine for my own pike, however. Cheers!

#23

Well this road doesn’t have the best track record for maintenance. . . There are stories of the #1 and #2 being driven straight into the ground. But then when the #3 and #4 were sold the #1 and #2 were taken into the shop and totally refurbished as the story goes. There is evidence of that in a new lettering scheme switching them from CR&N to NPR locos.

All the pictures we have of them actually show them well maintained and and fairly shiny. Mine wont be new but they wont look like they had sat in the back forty for 50 years either. Light everyday weathering will be the plan. Grime and dust and a little grease that sort of thing. Not so much rust and damage.

The second loco I build (the #4) will be shiny and new. I wont weather it at all. It will look like her builders photo. Of the 4 locos this one was the only new one to the line. She is special and in my minds eye I want her to look like delivery day.

Devon

#24

John, I am up to the lettering on my flat cars. They were Bachmann Big Hauler cars that have been sheathed, re-decked, new (from scratch) stake pockets and stirrup steps put on them.

My rolling stock have varying degrees of weathering., The hoppers are grimy from hauling coal, the boxcars have some road grime along the lower edge, and the sole P&CS caboose has been ridden hard and put up wet. But number 7, the passenger locomotive, is spotless. Being the passenger locomotive, she is the flagship of the line, and so she is well cared for.

#25

John, this was before the final coat of red paint.

I need to take pictures when they are done. I need to gettem done first. Before that, I have to get off my dead end and mosey into the workshop. Before that I need to turn on the heat in the workshop. On second thought, I think its time I get some sleep.