Large Scale Central

To weather, or not to weather, that is the question.

Modeling
#1

I have been a purist regarding avoiding weathering rolling stock and locomotives and trying to keep them as pristine as possible. Since I purchase predominantly LGB pre-bankruptcy models, I’ve always been afraid that weathering my LGB loco’s and rolling stock would create huge depreciation in the resale market. However, when operating on my indoor layout, which includes weathered buildings, scenery, etc, I think authentically weathered loco’s and rolling stock would look much more realistic.

So, I was just wondering what everyone’s opinion is in regards to weathering…to weather, or not to weather?

Pictured below is my LGB PRR Mikado. Keep it pure or make it look like the dirty, grimy, work beasts authentic Mikado’s where?

#2

For me, weathering, definitely. Weathering increases the realism, and I enjoy the hobby through creating realism in the garden. Shiny plastic doesn’t cut it in that department. But I don’t give a fig about resale. I buy and build my stuff because I want to run it, and milk the value from it in terms of personal enjoyment.

If resale value is important to you, then I’d probably not think about weathering anything you consider “collectible.” That may require a bit of compromise in terms of how your models look running through your garden, but you’ll benefit when you go to sell them later. But you’re also gambling that there will be a market when you go to sell them later. That’s a choice you’ll have to make for yourself.

Later,

K

#3

I prefer weathering to not weathering. My cheep Bachmann stuff is fair game to repainting, detailing and weathering. The stuff I consider collectible (and that can be debated) will not get weathered. Other stuff will get a bit of a dusting.

Weathering doesn’t have to be drastic, it can be just toning down the shine, and adding a bit of dust. Rusted out lower sides and skirts and mud and grime covered equipment doesn’t have to be the norm. There was a time when equipment was washed and cared for a bit more then it is now.

#4

I have weathered, painted and beat up my less valuable easily replaced equipment.

I have some really nice stuff from LGB and limited runs from USAT that I added to my collection over the years and resale is in the back of my mind so those pieces stay intact. Other pieces I have touched up just a bit. For example all my bachmann geared locos have what is supposed to be wood painted to look like wood. Like David wrote a little bit of weathering or detailing goes a long way. Real trains come in all manner of use/ abuse and new clean to old graffitti covered.

Don’t be afraid to add a bit of weathering it is fun.

#5

If you are really concerned about resale value, you shouldn’t be running them at all. They need to be kept in their original box, in a fire proof closet, against the day when you might sell them, hopefully when the market is high. Any wear on the wheels, however slight, is detectable, and greatly diminishes the resale value.

Since you already say that they have been run (horrors!) The NIB rating is gone, and so, probably, is the Like New rating. I’d say, weather them, and enjoy their use, since you have already weathered the rest of your layout.

#6

If I ever catch up to the real weather I might get around to that, but my locos come from the era of keeping the Ladies pretty. A local lad wipes the boilers with cotton wastes and the hoggers supervise polishing the brasses…

Firemen stack wood artfully, after filling the tank, a big splash washes the daily soot from the deck.

No basic black on the roster…

OTOH, I am beginning to weather, found a wrinkle! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

#7

I have difficulties about weathering my stock. Oh! yes, the cheaper Bachmann is fair game and all of my fifteen Bachmann BH items have been kitbashed or repainted. Two Aristo bobbers and a shortie boxcar have been integrated into that kitbashing.

But as far as my nearly forty Aristo cars are concerned that is something quite different. I just find it difficult to ‘weather’ them. Maybe this stems from childhood when a good many fathers were in the armed forces, money tight and toys only for the affluent. What toys you had were kept in good condition - or they were in my case - and new things at Christmas were often wooden and made from scrap lumber by some kindly old gentleman as a favor or for a small amount of money.

The post by Steve, whilst humorous does contains a lot of truth. But old habits die hard they say! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#8

I don’t weather my streamlined passenger cars and keep them covered when not running. I have about a dozen cars that sit outside all the time and they get run the most, so have natural weathering. I may bite the bullet and weather my MTH Big Boy some. It has a broken frame I repaired, so doubt it’s worth that much anyway and I don’t have the box. Looking at pix of the Big Boys they mostly looked AWFUL with the hard water they used and hard use. My Challenger is the gray version, so I use it with my streamliner cars. The Hudson is sort of dusty but that is about it.

#9

Hello Jay…I don’t see how to reconcile your two opposing objectives. If your concern is resale, then you really can’t weather. If your concern is realism, then you open up a whole world of enjoyment in the hobby. I would, however, suggest that you may be overestimating the resale value of your equipment in the first place; most everyone thinks their stuff is worth a lot more in resale than it really is. Estate sellers find that out in a big hurry.

Just a couple of thoughts, that’s all.

#10

by the way, I’d love to see some pictures of your indoor layout, including the weathered structures!!

#11

I am a great advocate of weathering to give everything a realistic look. I agree with Steve, that once you take to loco out of the box, it is no longer NIB, and the super anal collectors will rush for the exits if you even tell them about what you did! If you (quoting Steve: “Horrors”) actually ran the loco or stock, you have plunged your item into the abyss of worn and used. The anal collectors will have to be seen by EMTs when they even get near your stuff. My take on it is; if you want to be a re-seller, be a re-seller and don’t even take the item out of the shipping box. Steal the manufacturers photo of the product and put it up on ebay, or wherever, and ask the highest price you can get. Keep in mind, though, that you will no longer be a model railroader, you will have become an e-tailer (Shocked look!). You will never have the fun of actually “playing with your trains”.

I have always felt sad for people who don’t really have fun with their hobby stuff, because they are so tied up with the re-sale value that they are unable to enjoy it. I know many people like this, and they mostly feel superior to us “runners and weatherers” because their stuff is so clean and “purty”. Many modelers I know have closets full of unbuilt models new in the plastic bags in the original boxes, still taped closed. What a sad site that is! They also feel superior to those of us who build them up and enjoy looking at them. Sad. Sad. Sad …

#12

You could use something that washes off to weather your stock if you are really concerned about resale value. Me, I doubt that I will sell off much of what I have, just a few things to thin the heard a bit, so I am going to enjoy what I have. Most everything has some weathering on the wheels and trucks at the very least. Shiny wheels scream model to me. I have a few cars with shiny wheels, but they are what I think may be collectible in the future.

When my collection gets completely sold off, it will probably be after I have passed on, so I wont care what its worth then, if anything.

#13

after my death my wife and my daughters will break down the layout and make two piles of toys from it. for future grandchildren.

so resale value = zero.

that fact gives me the “freedom” to “mutilate” my stuff in whichever way I want.

#14

Sometimes some weathering can make a cheap model look better. I “abused” a Piko boxcar, and now it doesn’t look quite as cheap as it did when I took it out of the box. The car is no longer all shiny.

#15

David, Nice job with the NYC Boxcar! You also said you were going to thin the herd? , Is that because of the 4 hoppers I saw tucked under your arm as you left the D&B ?

Korm, I like the idea of keeping the family together with the trains.

and Jay, Yeah weather them. You’ll enjoy them so much more every time they come around the bend. Are you really going to sell them?

#16

I have seen some extremely good ‘weathered’ models on the various Fora. I have also seen, in reality and pics some that resemble fire damaged stock.

I am of the firm belief that ‘weathering’ models is an art and not one all models can aspire to. My No. 2 son is a great artist and can ‘weather’ models quite expertly. He painted an Aristo scrap load for me and it looks great. Now as for me I admit any attempt to ‘weather’ would be a total kludge. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

#17

Randy, those hoppers were part of the thinning. I did eventually sell them off.

Thanks for the comment on the boxcar. That was a quick and dirty demonstration for my club on how to weather with an airbrush. I was hoping to get pictures of the demonstration so I could pit them on-line in a short article. But the guy taking pictures didn’t take enough pictures, and the ones he took were blurry.

#18

Maybe of interest to some would be ‘weatherers’ who are reluctant to start:

http://mrr.trains.com/rapid/2015/04/weathering-tips

This place is just part of the Model Railroader website which they say is ‘unlocked’ until 28th. April.