Weather (or not) Your trains

NYC 428 posted:

Only if it comes from the factory that way.

I like the look, but don't know if I can do a good enough job at weathering them myself.

 

Ditto for me, NYC 428, my sentiments exactly!!! 

Could do some weathered and some "shop sourced" which has dents and dings with a new coat of paint.

I like the new "just out of the shop" look, but some new engines look too glossy, so a good dulling spray helps

I did weathering when I was into HO. To me, weathering is more appropriate to prototypical setups. Now, I leave stuff just like it rolled off the assembly line. 

For me I prefer the nice, shiny new appearance of trains out of the box.  If you are modeling the real world, then shiny is out.

When we go to watch trains I am still more drawn to the newer painted cars and engines.  

But that's just me.

My trains eventually get "weathered" by dirty fingerprints and train wrecks.  Just not with rust, grime and dirt.

Here are two weathered boxcars ( Weaver models ) and a dust weathered Chevy pick up.

rattler21 posted:

Repainted and weathered truck on a two rail layout(not mine).  John in Lansing, ILL

Rattler 21 -  Your truck looks fabulous!!  Very well done weathering job!!

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

richtrow posted:

Eventually, I intend to weather all my equipment but building the layout is my priority right now.  I do enjoy weathering though. I've done a few cars and hope to get a few more done when I get the chance.

Looking a really good. 👏

Johan

Johan, 

Great work! It would be great if you gave us the steps to your technique. You and Sirt are second to none.

Dave

luvindemtrains posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

richtrow posted:

Eventually, I intend to weather all my equipment but building the layout is my priority right now.  I do enjoy weathering though. I've done a few cars and hope to get a few more done when I get the chance.

Looking a really good. 👏

Johan

Johan, 

Great work! It would be great if you gave us the steps to your technique. You and Sirt are second to none.

Dave

Dave. Thank you. I really a much appreciate your kind words. I remember when i see a first time a SIRT weathering pics, i said WOW. He is still a mine role model. 

Johan

Yes for me....

Just a question -- where did you find the beer kegs in your cars??

I'm starting to weather my freight cars. Since I'm modelling a 1950's Era steel mill, I prefer that those cars and locomotives have some degree of rust  and dirt on them. They make the layout more realistic. 

Here's a few examples.  If I had some truly collectible cars and locomotives,  then I would leave them alone. It's all a matter of preference. 

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

luvindemtrains posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

richtrow posted:

Eventually, I intend to weather all my equipment but building the layout is my priority right now.  I do enjoy weathering though. I've done a few cars and hope to get a few more done when I get the chance.

Looking a really good. 👏

Johan

Johan, 

Great work! It would be great if you gave us the steps to your technique. You and Sirt are second to none.

Dave

Dave. Thank you. I really a much appreciate your kind words. I remember when i see a first time a SIRT weathering pics, i said WOW. He is still a mine role model. 

Johan

Johan

you are one of the best on here and your so modest that’s what makes a good Modeler of any kind. Love your work 

I mostly like to keep rolling stock and locomotives stock right out of the box. But in this case the decks on the Lionel PS-4 Piggyback Flat Cars are just to loud so I just had to weather them 

Good thread, Steve!  I haven’t posted much here for quite a while, but following this thread has motivated me to chime in.

10 years ago I never even thought about weathering, and even if I did, there’s no way I could imagine myself actually finding the courage to “ruin” my pristine equipment!

But then in 2010 I joined this Forum and I started to notice the incredible, realistic work posted here by true artists (in my opinion at least), and started to think, “WOW, this weathering thing is pretty cool”.

Fast forward another year or two, and I finally convinced myself to give in to the temptation.  I sent off two brand new cabooses to be weathered by two different regular contributing “weathermen” here on the Forum.  Upon receiving them back, I was hooked!

I studied these guys’ great work and thought to myself, “You can do this”.  Yes, I knew there would be a LONG learning curve, and that my first work would not be very good (that was an understatement for sure!!)...but I always had a bit of an artistic side, so I figured what the heck, let’s give this a try.

I started with rather inexpensive Weaver and “old” Atlas rolling stock, and eventually felt I was ready to try a locomotive.  The rest is history.  In my mind now, nothing in my collection is so valuable that it can’t be weathered.

I’m still not GREAT at it, and I accept the fact that I may never be as good as guys like Steve P. (SIRT).  (On a side note, and like Johan stated above, SIRT has been/still is a true inspiration for me.)  However, I continue to learn more and more with each piece I complete, and I'd like to think my work will continue to improve over time.  All I know is that it’s fun...and it’s addicting!

Thanks for starting this thread!

Back when I was into HO it was the thing to do...everything was weathered.  Now just a couple prewar engines with a lot of natural play wear.

Fendermain

third rail posted:

I'm starting to weather my freight cars. Since I'm modelling a 1950's Era steel mill, I prefer that those cars and locomotives have some degree of rust  and dirt on them. They make the layout more realistic. 

Here's a few examples.  If I had some truly collectible cars and locomotives,  then I would leave them alone. It's all a matter of preference. 

Third rail.

The slag car looks good! No, better than good... Great! The skull on the Hot metal car looks the part as well you should do a small description of how you do that I know I would be interested. Thanks. Roo.

Havent done a whole lot, but here are a couple I have done.

Jesse   TCA

lee drennen posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

luvindemtrains posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

richtrow posted:

Eventually, I intend to weather all my equipment but building the layout is my priority right now.  I do enjoy weathering though. I've done a few cars and hope to get a few more done when I get the chance.

Looking a really good. 👏

Johan

Johan, 

Great work! It would be great if you gave us the steps to your technique. You and Sirt are second to none.

Dave

Dave. Thank you. I really a much appreciate your kind words. I remember when i see a first time a SIRT weathering pics, i said WOW. He is still a mine role model. 

Johan

Johan

you are one of the best on here and your so modest that’s what makes a good Modeler of any kind. Love your work 

Lee. Thanks. I am glad you like it. 🤝

Johan

I'm spending real money to have Harry Heike weather some of my engines.  I have one weathered by Weaver and another by Dave_C so I would say yes.  I also think weathering increases it's value not decrease it.

While I love the look of weathered engines and rolling stock, and applaud those who have gone that route, it's not for me. I made a decision long ago on weathering , when I started my collection, either to go all in or not at all, and chose the latter course. I thought that it would also look very odd to have a layout mixing and matching weathered and non-weathered equipment, so that was not a viable option for me. Now, having accumulated in my collection hundreds of freight and passenger cars, and approximately 75 engines, it is far too late to reverse course, even if I were so inclined. 

As far as whether weathered or non-weathered equipment is more valuable, I am not certain. One would think that because of the additional time and expense that goes into weathering, that weathered equipment would be more valuable. Value, however, is not the only issue. Marketability is the other. One would also think that there is a greater market for non-weathered equipment, as I suspect most collectors/operators go the non-weathered route. Additionally, if I were a person who likes weathered equipment, I could always weather whatever equipment I bought. Of course, the converse is not the case. Finally, some collectors/operators are also very picky in the way they weather their equipment, and might not buy weathered equipment that fails to meet their standards.

Pat 

Roo posted:

third rail posted:

I'm starting to weather my freight cars. Since I'm modelling a 1950's Era steel mill, I prefer that those cars and locomotives have some degree of rust  and dirt on them. They make the layout more realistic. 

Here's a few examples.  If I had some truly collectible cars and locomotives,  then I would leave them alone. It's all a matter of preference. 

Third rail.

The slag car looks good! No, better than good... Great! The skull on the Hot metal car looks the part as well you should do a small description of how you do that I know I would be interested. Thanks. Roo.

Thanks for the compliment Neville.  I have admired your work for many years,  since the first O Scale Trains magazine came out. Your work on your steel mill layout is is truly art. I've been following it over on the 2 rail side.

The skull on the bottle car is simply decorative black sand that I bought at the local craft store.  I first apply a layer of hot melt glue to the car in the shape I want then after the glue hardened,  I coat it with some CA then spread the sand on it. A little more CA to set the sand in place and then I give the whole car a spray of dullcoat to tone down the shine.

A color slide, from Library of Congress, Jack Delano, ca.1942.  If you're modeling steam era, you can weather away. Diesel era, not so much. I'm not a fan of weathering to decrepitude, even though the results shown are spectacular.

rex desilets posted:

A color slide, from Library of Congress, Jack Delano, ca.1942.  If you're modeling steam era, you can weather away. Diesel era, not so much. I'm not a fan of weathering to decrepitude, even though the results shown are spectacular.

"Decrepitude", say what?