I want to start weathering some of my steam locomotives. I really want the weathering to be very light, like the locomotives are kept in very good ship but have dirt and grime on them from regular use.

Can you guys post photos of your weathered locomotives and explain some techniques on how you accomplished what you had done.

Thanks

Have you tried doing a search? I know that I, and MANY others, have posted dozens of photos on just this 3RS forum alone.

Sure!

From Trains

From Trains

From Trains

From Trains

Jd,

Here are some engines I just weathered in the past few weeks. I've tried several methods including chalks, powders, paint with airbrush and inks. My preferred method is to use Joes Model Trains weathering dyes. I get mine from Jeb Kriigel at Get Real Productions. Jeb is the one who introduced me to these dyes.

The good thing is that these dyes are relatively inexpensive and you do not need to invest in an airbrush and compressor.

Basically, I dilute with alcohol, and apply the lighter colors first using a small brush and foam brushes. I use the black grime at the end, and after it dries, I apply chalks and powders.



hi res photo here



hi res photo here

photo3


photo4


photo5

Rich
www.toytrainsontracks.com

Nice work, Rich. The engines look great.

I'm going to pick up some of those dyes. What colors do you recommend?

Thanks,

George

Thanks George,

Use rust first (diluted with 70% alcohol), then Black Grime (also diluted), finish with dark chalk and Tamiya weathering powder white on the wheels. Its easier than you think. My new DVD in december shows step by step how I weathered it.

Do you "Dullcoat" first or after?

I have dullcoat, but didn't use. Didn't want to fix something that wasn't broken. The dyes do not rub off easily with handling. Even the chalks stay put. When I do handle them I put a thumb under the pistons or wheels, and seldom touch the sides. There is a spot in the middle that looks rubbed off, but that is actually an errant drop of oil meant for the rods. I since brushed on some more black chalk, and its like new, or should I say "like old".

Rich,

I love the way your steamer looks weathered. Looks used but not worn out. I would love to see your DVD when it comes out. I will do a search for Joes Model Trains Weathering Dyes and try this out myself.


Trevize,

I do like the weathering you have done, it is a bit too much for my taste on a mainline locomotive. I was thinking of weathering a few of my switchers to that extreme. What techniques did you use?

Here is shots of my Russian

Soo Nut, here's one for you-

Steve C.

Here's mine.BF

These have just a light overspay of grimy black:









Jim

HI LJ:



I take exception to your shot of NKP Hudson, to the end they (shop men) kept their Pride Loco in great shape, clean but road worthy.

Here are a few of mine:

Morthern Pacific Class W



Northern Pacific Z-5


Great Northern R-2



Weenie Scale Great Northern Class H-5



All are weathered with a Pasche Model H air brush with Floquil weathering colors.

Regards,
GNNPNUT

Well, since none of the photos I've posted over the last year or so seem to exist any longer, here are a few from the past:

MTH SP A-B-B-a set of F3 units (lead unit).



3rd Rail NYC J3a "Super Hudson" on the turntable.



C&O H-8 and NYC J3a at the locomotive servicing tracks



Two CB&Q 0-8-0s in the locomotive servicing tracks, one with the "food service" car from the wrecker consist.



two CB&Q M4a class 2-10-4s in for servicing and coal.



One Burlington M4a waiting to be turned as the other M4a comes off the turntable.



A UP FEF-3 waits its turn while a Great Northern S2 moves onto the turntable.



UP FEF-3 eases out on the yard lead, ready to depart with a PFE reefer train, while another UP PFE reefer train is stopped on the main.



A Northern Pacific class Z-8 Challenger is on the turntable one evening.



A Burlington O5b 4-8-4 and two Burlington M4a 2-10-4 locomotives on the garder tracks.



Two C&O H-8s wait to be turned on the turntable.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Policastro:
These have just a light overspay of grimy black:


Jim

Jim,

Looks good. How did you accomplish this? Just spray over the locomotives and mask off any areas that you did not want weathered?

Just a spray of highly diluted Floquil grimy black with the airbrush. Nothing is masked. I run alligator clip leads to the rollers and frame to keep the drivers moving and eliminate spray "shadows".

Jim

Mine was done by Steve (above) weatheringstation.com

quote:

Originally posted by Rich Battista:
Jd,

Here are some engines I just weathered in the past few weeks. I've tried several methods including chalks, powders, paint with airbrush and inks. My preferred method is to use Joes Model Trains weathering dyes. I get mine from Jeb Kriigel at Get Real Productions. Jeb is the one who introduced me to these dyes.

The good thing is that these dyes are relatively inexpensive and you do not need to invest in an airbrush and compressor.

Basically, I dilute with alcohol, and apply the lighter colors first using a small brush and foam brushes. I use the black grime at the end, and after it dries, I apply chalks and powders.

[IMG]http://www.toytrainsontracks.com/files/QuickSiteImages/NW/Y6b/WN_W_1_800.JP

Rich
www.toytrainsontracks.com

I admire your light touch. Most of the weathering jobs that I have seen are too heavily applied for my taste. I especially hate that "all-gray" look. Gnnpnut seems to have that light touch as well, and both of your efforts are inspiring.

Weathering may be a matter of taste to many modelers, regardless of scale. I prefer to have my long time custome painter work off of actual photos (black & white and color) of the real locomotive being modeled. I have been working on real steam locomotives for more than 50 years, and I pretty well know what gets "dirty" where with what; i.e., sand, oil, grease, soot, etc. Virtually every single one of my weathered models has photographs to back up the degree of weathering.

The color photos, which I took myself, of some of the Union Pacific "Big Blow" 8500HP gas turbin locomotives out in Nebraska, have caused a number of "discussions" concerning the weathering job on my MTH "Big Blow" model. Quite a number of "experts" didn't think it "looked right" at a few shows. The 8X10 color photos caused them to think otherwise!

My "taste" is to have the model look as close to the real locomotive, given the time frame/era that I model in (early to mid 1950s).

quote:

my MTH "Big Blow" model

Hot Water - Do you have a picture of your turbine? I'd like to give you my opinion. Just kidding, but I would like to see it if possible.

The pictures and equipment on this link are absolutely incredible.
Doesn't get any better. (Unless there is more ATSF steam. )

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Policastro:
Just a spray of highly diluted Floquil grimy black with the airbrush. Nothing is masked. I run alligator clip leads to the rollers and frame to keep the drivers moving and eliminate spray "shadows".

Jim

Being new to using an airbrush how much do I dilute the grimy black and with what? Water?

I'd start with a 50-50 mix and just experiment. If you can see individual spots of color, it needs more diluting. I always use lacquer thinner with the older Floquil paints in a spray booth. The lacquer is nice because it dries immediately, but water-based paints should work too if you let them set up between sprays. Floquil also has an alcohol-based airbrush thinner that I've never used, but heard good things about.

Jim

Thanks Jim

I will try it out in a few days and post pictures.

I'd like to make one other recommendation to you before you embark on your journey. There is a great resource on steam locomotive weathering available from "Model Railroader" "Information Station". The author is John Pryke, who wrote a great article in MR a few years back, as well as a great article on freight car weathering.

Here is a link to "Steam Locomotive Details and Weathering". It would be $11.95 well spent.

Regards,
Jerry Zeman

Check out this photo of WM #734 from the Real Trains section: WM 765 This is what a well-maintained loco should look like after road use. Dirty but not decrepit.

HOTWATER:
I like your Southern Pacific F3 ABB locomotive. I'm a West Coast guy that grew up around and models the SP. What did you use to do the weathering on this unit. I'd like to do it to my MTH F7 ABA.


Matt

Matt,

As I mentioned above, I have all my stuff weathered by a professional custom painter who does just what I want, based on photos of the real locomotives. Since I model in the early to mid 1950s, that SP A-B-B-A set is not very "dirty", just a light dusting of road grime/dust and exhaust smoke residue on top. I found that the SP was still keeping their diesel power pretty clean back towards the end of steam, in the early 1950s.

Is your pro painter open to the public?

He sure is Matt. But, he lives in Chicago and has NO COMPUTER! All done by word of mouth and face-to-face. He has been doing my work since about 1972 or so (back when I was in HO scale).

I was up at P&D Hobby Shop today picking up some grimy black and rust for my airbrush to try out some weathering when I came across spray cans of a color called "Instant Weathering" by Floquil. Any try this? I plan to just give a quick shot to an old tender that I plan to repaint just to see what kind of results I can get from it.

I do plan on weathering using mostly chalk and powders along with my air brush after some practice on some cheap rolling stock I have laying around.

I might even hit up a train show and pick up some beat up HO stuff for a few bucks just to practice on.

I will post some photos of my progress soon.

I would be very careful of those Floquil spray cans of "instant weathering". The paint does NOT come out of the nozzle tip very fine and tends to "blotch" the surface being sprayed. It does work OK once you get used to it but, I would try it on some cheap freight cars first prior to weathering a locomotive.

your right hot water. It came out way way way too heavy

Here is a few shots of my poor attempt at weathering my switcher. I did want to go for a very heavy weathering with a very dirty look. I did get a dirty look but it looks too streaky for me and not natural. Not sure if I can fix it or if it will call for a total re-paint.

Give me some honest feed back on what you think and if you think it can be fixed.

What exactly did you use? Looks like te alcohol mixed with dull coat effect. If thats the case you could remove the white stains simply by sprayig more dull coat

quote:

Originally posted by Jdevleerjr:
Here is a few shots of my poor attempt at weathering my switcher. I did want to go for a very heavy weathering with a very dirty look. I did get a dirty look but it looks too streaky for me and not natural. Not sure if I can fix it or if it will call for a total re-paint.

Give me some honest feed back on what you think and if you think it can be fixed.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by stevin:
What exactly did you use? Looks like te alcohol mixed with dull coat effect. If thats the case you could remove the white stains simply by sprayig more dull coat[QUOTE]

It was a dull coat with thinner. I think I had sprayed it on way too thick so I took more thinner with a brush and brushed some of it off. Thats where it got streaky.

I did dull coat it more last night and it looks much better. I think if I add some grimy black lightly sprayed on with my airbrush it might look much better. I also will get some chalks and work on some rust detail and such. I will post photos this weekend on my progress. I think it can be saved!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jdevleerjr,

quote:

Originally posted by boin106:
HOTWATER:
I like your Southern Pacific F3 ABB locomotive. I'm a West Coast guy that grew up around and models the SP. What did you use to do the weathering on this unit. I'd like to do it to my MTH F7 ABA.


Matt

Here's a pic of the real thing if you want to look at weathering. SP352 F7A in New Mexico in 1964:

Matt

I've been in this hobby many, many years. I learned the hard way years ago. If you weather them you had better plan on keeping them. If you want to sell them, don't plan on more than 50% of what you have invested. If you do weather, use chaulks or something you can remove without hurting anything. It kinda makes one sick to sell a brand new $1000.00+ engine for $500.00 IMHO

FWIW

quote:

Originally posted by Jdevleerjr:
I was up at P&D Hobby Shop today picking up some grimy black and rust for my airbrush to try out some weathering when I came across spray cans of a color called "Instant Weathering" by Floquil. Any try this? I plan to just give a quick shot to an old tender that I plan to repaint just to see what kind of results I can get from it.

I do plan on weathering using mostly chalk and powders along with my air brush after some practice on some cheap rolling stock I have laying around.

I might even hit up a train show and pick up some beat up HO stuff for a few bucks just to practice on.

I will post some photos of my progress soon.

FWIW empty beer and soda cans are perfect for practicing your air brush technique. Mistakes show up right away and no harm done.

quote:

I run alligator clip leads to the rollers and frame to keep the drivers moving

Jim,
Can you explain this in more detail?

quote:

Originally posted by George's Five & Dime Express:
I've been in this hobby many, many years. I learned the hard way years ago. If you weather them you had better plan on keeping them. If you want to sell them, don't plan on more than 50% of what you have invested. If you do weather, use chaulks or something you can remove without hurting anything. It kinda makes one sick to sell a brand new $1000.00+ engine for $500.00 IMHO

There is a fellow on the AtlasO Forum, Industrial Models, who weathers Boxcars and other freight cars. His normally sell for about twice the retail price of the original model. I don't know how well his weathered engines go for.

I would think if one wasn't in a rush to liquify these engines, you should get better than the less than 50% you're saying.

quote:

There is a fellow on the AtlasO Forum, Industrial Models, who weathers Boxcars and other freight cars. His normally sell for about twice the retail price of the original model. I don't know how well his weathered engines go for.

I would think if one wasn't in a rush to liquify these engines, you should get better than the less than 50% you're saying.

Tom Grimason

I agree to Tom's Comments to some extent but there is a difference between this:



and this:

http://i.ebayimg.com/01/!BdErt...iBK3P9LIuPw~~_35.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/21/!BdT,+...uBK4Rs5N+o!~~_35.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/08/!BdT,9...KBK4RstWTOQ~~_35.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/02/!BdliV...WBK5i24rgOQ~~_35.JPG

but Don't be discouraged Jdevleerjr. Afterall industrial models started somewhere. It just takes more time, study, and practice/practice/practice.