To weather or not ??

Just my $0.02. IF you want to weather entire consists, go for it. IMHO this is an all, or nothing proposition. "Some" weathering to me doesn't look good at all. Take a look at SIRT's work here on the OGR Forum. He's about the best I've seen.

 

As discussed here at length on numerous threads, weathering needs to look good to you. For your railroad, your opinion is all that really matters. Were I to do it, I'd buy an inexpensive air brush and play around with some MPC or Plasticville items before messing with my "best" rolling stock, locomotives, or buildings.

This is a classic example of a personal choice. You will get as many answers to this question as there are O-Gauge collectors/operators. For me, never. I do respect the fine work done in weathering by Forum members, SIRT being one of them, but on our layout, no. We operate strictly passenger trains and the thought of a dirty looking engine or passenger cars is not for me, though that was true in the real world. But since this is a MODEL railroad, we get to do it our way and the shinier the better.

In my opinion I don't like weathered 3rail scale engines or cars, except on the wheels and trucks, if it is not overdone. However, two rail scale I think weathering would be acceptable as long as everything in the consist is weathered prototypically.  

I personally love weathered engines and cars, but have been timid and afraid to get started by myself.  Layouts that I have seen with weathered equipment look so realistic to me.  Non-weathered by comparison looks more toy trainish.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I personally like the realistic look better.

Art

I look at it this way, It is all up to what you like. It's your railroad, just enjoy it.

I have seen some beautifully weathered trains on this forum. Weathered by some very talented forum members. There are some trains here in pictures and videos that very are hard to tell from the real thing. Amazing stuff. However, after re-entering the hobby a few years ago I have not yet been able to bring myself to weather one of my nice shiny new trains. I still like the nice, clean, new look of them right out of the box.

 

I am still learning and evolving though, so maybe someday I will want to add some weathering. The more you learn, the more your tastes change and you want to do or at least try different things. At least that is what has been happening to me so far the last 3-4 years. It really is a personal choice, and a tough one to make as well.

Greg,

If you have pieces that you want to be buried with, do those. The remaining pieces that you may want to sell or trade, don't touch. In my many years I have witnessed much grief among those who have weathered their trains. I've seen high dollar locomotives sell for next to nothing. Most in the hobby would like to receive the highest possible price if they do have to sell. I liken it to a used car. If you want the most you can get, you clean and polish everything down to the tires.

Granted there are weathered locomotives that bring top dollar at shows and auctions. These are pieces done by professionals and have proper documentation. These are the rare examples that everyone hears about. For each of these there's thousands that are stored away in disgust or parted out like a person would do a junk car. It's your railroad to do with as you like. 

just start simple as others have said. I did just the trucks and couplers on some

skeleton log cars.  It was kind of fun. Get a feel for it. you may discover it's not for me,

Then again....... One step at a time.

You don't know until you try.....

 

I weather MOST of my trains. My PRR S1 will not get the weathering. During it's short life it was well taken care of. Passenger cars will escape too......I like to think they are washed often. Freight cars are open season. 

Happy Pappy, You said it right, to sell the Weathered Item, is Most of the time a No No for the Greenberg Value. Although Greenberg is like Kelly Blue Book for cars/trucks, if One has the Shipping carton, train box, all the wrapping and documents, and the item is Clean and unscratched, it's going to bring a fair to good resale price. All of these add up to, how Rare the item is. Also, now, we are in an operators World, not as much The Collectors World. This was, from what I Heard, the theme of this past York Meet. I for one, run my trains to check them out, then on the Shelf. Great Thread, Good Question....

I can get more money for something that I have weathered vs something out of the box that has been run but still shiny. Value is not a concern unless you're keeping your items unopened as a collector.

Again,Laidoffsick, you are probably right in this Operators Market, Weathering Done By A Professional might be more attractive than years ago, to the die hard purist. Therefore, I would say there is a market for both. Recently, in my sales on the Forum, most want As Close to New as Possible. The sale of Lionel's DIECAST ES44Ac.....So, it's 6-One, Half-Dozen the other.....It's All Fun, so, Happy Railroading

Greg

I think everyone who has chimed in has probably said in one way or another what I'm about to say.

 

If you are looking at your trains as an investment ( well trains never really increase in value for the most part ... so you will probably get 25cents on the dollar )  and will definitely sell later... then don't weather.  If selling your trains later is not what you intend to do then why not weather away and have fun!

 

My first weathering job was a MTH Baltimore and Annapolis SW9.  I did it with graphite and it looks fine.  Whats more the graphite can be taken off.   

 

My second weathered engine is an MTH B&O docksider .  Again with graphite and some pastels I bought at an art supply store.  Looks fine IMHO.

 

Some locos I may not weather because "they just came out of the paint shop" or " just came though the wash rack".  

 

I plan to weather my Williams GG1 #4876... the one that crashed through Union Station in DC pulling the Federal.  I'll use pastel chalks, graphite, and testors dal cote paint.  

 

I weather freight cars.  I do not weather passenger cars .... they always go through the wash racks  after every run.  I love to weather cabeese.   AND I like to purchase weathered freight cars as well.

 

Good luck with whatever direction you decide.  Its a fun hobby any way we slice it

Absolutely Larry, those ES44 Hybrids are going for ridiculous money. I wouldn't touch those as far as weathering, but I wouldn't pay that kind of money for them either. Its all about the piece and the buyer.

Well for one I would not have enough time to do such to everything. But more so, I would never even think of defacing my collection which is in 99.9% mint & flawless condition. 

 

However that said I do think that it looks awesome. But I feel that it is best for units or cars that have blemishes. I absolutely despise blemishes. So to weather something that otherwise has issues is a great way to make it special in another way.

 Or perhaps choose a paticular consist just to do it, to have fun with & enjoy. For instance I was thinking about doing it to a work train consist. But everything. No way...

 

I personally like weathered models, to me it adds to the realism if most items are weathered. i wouldn't really ask this on the forum or any other as i would advise you to do what you want, and what makes your layout look good in your eyes. this is your hobby and you should do what makes you and you alone feel good.

Don't weather randomly!  If you don't have personal knowledge or photos showing where exactly the dirt and oil accumulates, don't do it!

If I was model railroading I would weather enough to make everything fit but because I am 'toy training it' I only weather special pieces.

 

"if you are looking at your trains as an investment ( well trains never really increase in value for the most part ... so you will probably get 25cents on the dollar )  and will definitely sell later... then don't weather. "

 

  It can work in reverse too. I've had items that wouldn't sell till I weathered and tagged them then they got multiple bids.....DaveB

To weather or not?

 

If you only model true “O” and plan to cover everything else like rails, buildings, vehicles, streets, back drops and other items, then  - YES.

 

Non scale, non-detailed toy items, never.

 

Steve (SIRT)

 

     Exactly my sentiments. I could not have put it better.

 

ray

Most of my engines and rolling stock are weathered and converted to Kadee's. Not over the top super detailed weathering. Just enough to blend them in with the surroundings. This question seems to come up a lot. I think once you start weathering. You have to go for the whole package. Not just engines and rolling stock. Track and buildings as well. 

 What I buy. I buy to run. I'm not going to worry about it's future value. Most of my engines aren't high prized collectables. I buy what fits my opperatting scheme. Not sure of their value today, but I've done a few Atlas reefers that were selling for insane prices.

 If you like the look. Go for it. Weaver cars are a good starting point to learn on. But once you start it becomes a full commitment. Anything not done simply looks out of place. Many fine examples of this on the Forum. Norm C. has it down. As good as I've seen in any scale.

Thanks Gents, at this moment this question is just for future reference for me, I'm not concerned about my collections monetary value, I'm assuming that my trains (I really, really HOPE) will be passed down to a family member who discovers my love for my trains (I don't know how they'll get the layout out of the basement) and will be willing to carry it on.  With this question I have discovered Steve (SIRT), Norm C. and will look into their techniques and I'll learn from them.  It's all about the love of the trains for me. - Thanks  - MARSHELANGELO

Having the ability to make a layout look like SIRT, Norm C or some of the others here could change very well my mind on weathering. I am not in that category however. 

Greg

what ever your decision, before jumping in go to a swap meet and find a few junker HO cars to practice on before you try it in any good "O" rolling stock.

 

BTW I have a freight consist and a coal drag that I weathered and at this past April York I picked up a New Lionel Y3 that Lionel sold as weathered by Harry Heike.  Will be reaching out to Harry soon to have a few of my current engines weathered

Steve

When a locomotive or train car first rolled out of the shop it was shiny and looked perfect, and that was prototypical, at least for a few days. After use, locomotives and cars pick up grime and dirt and that is prototypical. Model whichever you prefer or a mixture.

Bob Bartiziak published a couple of articles in OGR a few years ago which showed various methods of weathering, including a method which is reversible. Good, useful info. 

Dave G.

I saw a guy, some years back, at a couple train shows, who weathered scale locomotives for $1,00 each, and he had a waiting-list of admirers. I thought his work was beautiful and that what he got for each locomotive was noteworthy.

FrankM.

They're your trains.  Do what you want with them.  As for myself, everything on my rails looks like it just came out of the shop, and that's the way I like it.  Zero weathering for me.