Rail Brown paint colors

Sorry.... I don't have Rail Brown, but here is Tru Color Oxide Brown on the top.  It also looks like PRR Red.  Tamiya Red Brown on the bottom.  I like the Tamiya better.

OK, dumb question, are you attempting to paint/weather rail? Depending on the era you are modeling, rail should generally NOT be "red".

@Hot Water posted:

OK, dumb question, are you attempting to paint/weather rail? Depending on the era you are modeling, rail should generally NOT be "red".

Yes. I want to paint the rails. I had some Floquil Rail brown that was a good color. It isn't made anymore, so I am looking for alternatives. I have another brand and lots of it that I bought years ago. It is too red, almost orange, so I don't want to use it on my new layout.

My era is 1940 thru 1970 roughly. U.P. is what most of my stuff is, so it is going to be a U.P./west/mid-west  themed freelanced layout.

Ron, thanks for the pics. I didn't know Tamiya made railroad colors. The Tamiya looks like the color I am looking for.

Rail Center acrylic paints might be a viable option:

https://www.modeltrainstuff.co...01-rail-brown-15-ml/

I snagged a bunch of these at York to try out. I used their Sleeper Brown for a couple things which is their equivalent of RR Tie Brown. Seems promising so far.  Have yet to try the other colors I got.

I too found the Tru-color rail brown to be too orange/red. Here is a sample track I did with it.

I guess sometimes red rails are appropriate.  Just not my cup of tea.

https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/...finland-75766904.jpg

Y'all go out and look at some mainline track! You will find that it is not brown nor red.

I struggle with accurately reproducing scale effect as colors lose intensity and shift as one gets farther and farther away from an object. The little guy in Norm's photo looking at the paint close up seems to have got the problem licked.

Micro Mark offers a RR line of paints suited for airbrushing. Supposedly based on the Poly Scale colors which were basically the acrylic version of Flouquil. I’ve used their Rail Brown on the rails and it covers well with an airbrush. I believe they also offer a brush on version which is not already thinned.

For rail color, I use Micro Mark Airbrush paints.  I mix Roof brown with Rail brown for a good dark rust color.  About 60/40, Roof brown to Rail brown. I'm satisfied with the results.  

@Big Jim posted:

Y'all go out and look at some mainline track! You will find that it is not brown nor red.

Big Jim,

Exactly what color is it then?  (Which seems to be the second most important question in this thread next to the one that comes with the title.)

Mike

Here is the NS main from Harrisburg to Hagerstown.  Sure looks brown.  Maybe a shade of brown/gray.

This is the NS Main west of Enola Yard near Marysville.  Red / Brown?

Pictures are in the public domain from Google Maps Street View.

I think the takeaway is there are probably dozens of earth tone colors you could use and you would not be wrong.

The trick I learned from Dave C is to use two colors. Use Rail Brown for the basecoat on the rail sides and then overspray  everything with Grimy Black. He showed his technique years ago and I tried it not long after. Back then I was running lighter colored ballast and I liked the look. You could probably use a rust overspray for modern track.

Good tip on the Micro Mark paints.

I use Rustoleum Camouflage Earth Brown #1918.  I paint the rails and ties.  

I once saw a tv show featuring a UP Rail Inspector.  He stated that he likes uniformity in color of the ties and rails.  Any other colors indicate aging and deterioration.

Ed

Here are some photos that I took during my vacation this year.  NH Joe

Empire Builder - Minot, SD

Passing freight - Minot, SD

East Glacier Park, MT  The mainline appears to be gray to me.

East Glacier Park, MT  Note difference in color between mainline and siding.

@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:

Big Jim,

Exactly what color is it then?  (Which seems to be the second most important question in this thread next to the one that comes with the title.)

Mike

A lot depends on the era one is attempting to model. If you are attempting to duplicate the 1930s thru 1950s "steam era", then the mainline rails would have a noticeable greenish hue, due to the color of all the oil lubricated plain bearing equipped freight cars. That oil was Texaco HD57 "JournelTex", and was noticebly green. All that greenish journel oil tended to coat the sides of the rails over time.

Now, if you are attempting to model the more modern era, the side of the rails tend to be sort of a dull gray/brown, since there is no more oil from the car journal bearings. Also, in the modern era, the brake shoes are all composition, i.e. no more cast-iron brake shoe dust that turns rusty color.

I sprayed the side of my rails with Rustoleum Camo Earth Brown at a low angle. I then sprayed straight down from overhead with Rustoleum Weathered Wood.

@NJCJOE I think you have it. I am going your route. Thanks for sharing!

@LT1Poncho posted:

@NJCJOE I think you have it. I am going your route. Thanks for sharing!

Agreed. We sprayed all the rails (Atlas solid nickel silver) with Rust-Oleum "Charcoal Green", which is no longer made. Thus, the above photos look like a an excellent substitute.

I used that rustoleum camo paint as well on the rail sides. And a gray stain on the wood ties. Then a little black rubbed in the center since I am steam era.

The Rustoleum looks like the way to go. Going to Amazon right now.

These pictures are from same area in Ashland, VA.  Taken same time of day, but I'm sure the sun angle had something to do with the apparent difference in rail color.

Looking West

Looking east

I'm still working on getting my rail colors right...

Great thread. So valuable to see a variety of original source photos, different paint colors and application approaches in one place. Actual samples of rails stained by transition era bearing lubrication oil might be lost to antiquity. But at least they are under discussion here. I appreciate especially the photos indicating how time of day and sun angle can have a profound effect on color. There is a time to stop calibrating and reach peace with the colors on the rails. Where is it? So subjective.

@Patrick1544 posted:

For rail color, I use Micro Mark Airbrush paints.  I mix Roof brown with Rail brown for a good dark rust color.  About 60/40, Roof brown to Rail brown. I'm satisfied with the results.  

Micro-Mark web site shows Rail Brown, Roof Red, RR Tie Brown, and Rust in the Microlux line.  No Roof Brown.  So which do you mix with Rail Brown?

@Ron045 posted:

  Tamiya Red Brown on the bottom.  I like the Tamiya better.

Tamiya Red Brown XF-64 or Red Brown 2 XF-90?

I have this hand-laid track that was salvaged in sections from a layout that I've left outside under my patio cover for a few years that I like to photograph my trains on.  It has a pretty realistic feel to it.  Sadly, I don't have a good way of reassembling all the pieces back into a layout so it will remain as display track for me. 

Granted, not paint, but a natural weathering method to be sure! 

@NJCJOE posted:

I sprayed the side of my rails with Rustoleum Camo Earth Brown at a low angle. I then sprayed straight down from overhead with Rustoleum Weathered Wood.

So do you mask the top of the rail when you spray to prevent electricity conducting issues?

Mark

I'm using the rail brown from MicroMart.  It matches the Floquil that i was using

Dave

@PRRrat posted:

So do you mask the top of the rail when you spray to prevent electricity conducting issues?

Mark

No. As soon as I'm done painting a section, usually 5' to 6', I wrap a rag around a block of wood, put some paint thinner on it and wipe the rails until all the paint is gone.

@KarlDL posted:

Micro-Mark web site shows Rail Brown, Roof Red, RR Tie Brown, and Rust in the Microlux line.  No Roof Brown.  So which do you mix with Rail Brown?

Karl

  You would have to experiment with Rust and Rail Brown, since the Roof Brown is not in stock as you say.  I think a 60/40 will still give nice results.  The Roof Brown is a little on the reddish side, which is what you want.  You could also try Oxide Red .