So I was aging a few trucks tonight as I love the beat up old pickup look, and I began to wonder how many on here like aged and weathered verses new and shiny? I put some before and after pics of my project below just for reference! And yes I realize we'd all kill for a full layout of SIRT's stuff but you know.....
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When I was in HO scale it was the aged and weathered look. I was a prototype scale modeler for 30 years. A few years ago I made "O" scale the main layout. Now I am a toy train operator and prefer the new and shiny look. It looks like I went the opposite way of most folks. Against the flow.
You did a great job on the truck. We like a mixture of both. I am slowly weathering a few cars now to learn. I like the freight cars beat all to **** but our Passenger cars are nice and shiny. Here is our latest, a Weaver fridge car and a shiny E6. Working on weathering our 1st loco, a SD60, hope to have finished soon.
having no skill at this, mine are shiny by default 
New and shiny, just the way I keep my car and boat.
I prefer a mixture of both. All of my equipment is currently in "shiny" condition, but I eventually want to weather it enough (once I learn how) to look like it sees frequent use in a dirty urban environment, yet is fairly well-kept.
Aaron
I prefer as delivered.
That said, something that should be weathered, decrepit:
New & shiny all the way.
Sirt both inspires me and then comes to my own post to put me to shame.... I cannot tell if I like that guy or not.
That being said, I agree with some of you that its good to mix it up! I got a great deal on a MTH Y6b and I aged the crud out of it! Looks like a big old clunker going down the rails! Thats the most adventurous I've gotten with my aging so far. Most of my engines are in shiney but not quite new condition as I like to add lights and detail them. But some rolling stock and vehicles are getting kitbashed and aged! Thats where I find a lot of enjoyment!
I totally agree with those who say BOTH. Depending on the time you model, something should be shiny new. Then again, very little new stuff was seen around where I grew up. So most of my stuff needs some grime on it.
While I like the aged and used look I've not yet had the motivation to weather any of my trains. I'll start with buildings, they are far less money to replace should I really foul it up.
For me, it's horses for courses. Passenger trains, shiny, freight trains grubby. I think that any large articulated, such as an Allegheny look much better weathered.
I am a proud member of the clean plate club, and the clean train club.
Since I am into passenger train service, the shinier, the better.
Does dust count as weathering? 
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