Shiny Locomotives & Weathering

Yes, to freight engines, no to passenger engines.  Best weathering job that I have ever seen

Weathering has a place, but I could never deface my Lionel PW Rio Grande or NYC F3’s or GG1s or Lackawanna FMs. Sorry just couldn’t do it.

I feel the same way that Rich does about permanent weathering. The only weathering I consider is temporary. Chalk powder works for me because if I change my mind, I can wipe off the chalk powder and have my original shiny locomotive. Arnold

Personally, and this is only my opinion, if an entire layout is weathered then the locomotives look great when weathered.  If the layout isn't weathered then a weathered loco looks out of place to me and should be left as is out of the box.

-Greg

Well, as an old forum member use to say, O-gauge is a "big tent" and plenty of room for variety. However, I am not sure I like shininess looks "right" on any toy train stuff, except perhaps holiday items, but we seem to live with it as-is even on the $1,000+ models. I've yet to gain the nerve or the confidence to weather a locomotive or freight car, but have weathered via application of brick mortar and india ink and alcohol to most of my Railking and Lionel plastic buildings. To me, the plastic shininess of the buildings detracts from their otherwise neat and prototypical look; and, although very time-consuming, it is not that hard to do.

That’s a big yes.   Before I even received my Hudson, Harry Heike did a light weathering.  I don’t like the shine of new engines.

 Lite weathering looks good but I just can't do it. I do yard buildings though.

Greg Houser posted:

Personally, and this is only my opinion, if an entire layout is weathered then the locomotives look great when weathered.  If the layout isn't weathered then a weathered loco looks out of place to me and should be left as is out of the box.

-Greg

Well, not all weathering should be made like the locomotive is ready for the junk yard.  Sure, some loco's could look pretty nasty, particularly near the end of their working life. 

But subtle weathering doesn't look out of place among other equipment that's not weathered.

Rusty

I've only weathered one engine.  I find it hard to convince myself to do it. I picked up a junker 675 with the intent of repainting and weathering it.  When I got to the weathering stage I couldn't do it.  On the other hand, I have sprayed a number of shiny engines with dullcoat.

I have never been into weathering locomotives, especially shiny Williams models, but I have no reservations to those who do so on scale locomotives. It makes sense, even in 3-rail, for someone impassioned by realism.

But on toy train layouts with traditional-sized equipment? Seems counterintuitive. Still, it’s a matter of choice, and I would never criticize anyone who prefers weathered models.

I have weathered N scale freight cars, and enjoyed it. But never a locomotive.

I do think too many people get carried away with locomotive weathering, particularly on diesels. I just don’t get the impression of weathered machines when I see diesels charging past me in the real world. Freight cars can be weathered aggressively, on the other hand.

I have always admired the ability some people have for weathering their trains, and I think they look good. However, for my own trains and accessories, I like them shiny and clean. 

John 

I like the look of a clean new locomotive, even running on a layout, and could never bring myself to experiment with weathering on any locomotive model. Often, the weathering applied to locomotive models seems excessive and artificial to me. I have applied weathering to some buildings on my layouts but generally prefer them to look like they are well maintained. Weathering is a matter of personal preference.

MELGAR

I agree with Melgar. Some model engines are weathered so much they look like they have been through a war and lost.

If you have a "shinny" toy-like layout, then a weathered loco looks out of place. The HO guys seem to have hit a happy medium of a weathered layout to match their weathered locos and rolling stock.

Altering non true O scale toys was never ment to be. Keep them as original. 

As for true O, it's all or nothing, meaning everything you see on the layout gets weathered as well. 

I don't weather old post war stuff. The new WBB loco's that are shiny, I give them a shot of dull-coat and that's about it. Same when I kit-bash anything I make after paint & decals, as it helps glue the decal in place.

In O scale (2 rail) waterfront layout I had some weathered components

the SW is weathered by Don Smith, and the 44 toner I don't know who applied it. Dirty weathered freight motors typical in postwar period photographed  in Maine. Harsh seasons and dirt were common as snow. I believe that MEC cleaned their engines early on but the decline of the era saw a lot of worn out examples and maintenance was not about exteriors. 

I would Not weather any of my postwar Lionel, nor my other 2 rail engines. I have a shiney SW in green MEC livery and a brass 44 tonner that I will some day paint in the green MEC  livery. i will  not alter their surface appearance or finish. Have two worn and two rolled out of the paint shop! 

on the nautical side of things I have weathered and dulled and rusted as seen in photographic records that I would use for reference. Also structures I have weathered as well for scale presentation  purposes. 

I like  my postwar trains worn by age and use. 

its a personal  matter of preference really.

Well I took a chance and weathered my 1st locomotive. It was an 0-6-0 docksider from the Thunder Valley set. I’m using it for a short run logging line. Had a lot of fun, and I really like the results.

daylight posted:

Yes, to freight engines, no to passenger engines.  Best weathering job that I have ever seen

Wow Daylight, what a beauty?! I have not been able to bring myself to do this to a new engine!

Joe Gozzo

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I would be interested in others opinions regarding this question: do some shiny locomotives cry out to be weathered, but not others?

This old Williams diesel is an example:

IMO, it looks much better with white chalk powder brushed on it. Before I did that, it's shiny plastic shell made it look cheap and unrealistic, IMO.

I have other shiny locomotives that look great.

Why does shininess look good on some, and not on others? Is the determining factor shiny metal (good) versus shiny plastic (bad)?

What do you think?

Arnold

 

Nice topic!

Joe Gozzo

IMO locomotives should be weathered or remain shiny in respect to their assignment.  It depends on your layout as a whole. If  you  have a "clean " layout,  Passenger locowith no weathering anywhere,  then keep your locomotive clean.  Passenger locomotives and their respective consists were sent through the washers after every run,  so they should remain clean and shiny for the most part.  Maybe a little weathering on the roof of the first few cars and the locomotive.  Freight locos should be as dirty as possible.  They are the real workhorses of the line. 

I just let time take care of my postwar engines and they take on a sort of dull and worn look just like me. Bill Makel

If anything just give them a coat of dullcoat or equivalent.  If you're wanting a prototypical look,  remember from a distance of 24-30 inches,  you are looking at an object from a distance of approximately 100-150 scale feet.  The shine disappears at that distance.