Weathering track

Although this subject should be on the Scenery Forum, I sprayed ALL my Atlas track with Rustoleum "Charcoal Green" spray paint. I model the early 1950s "big steam era", thus I wanted the rails to resemble the era of oil lubricated, plain bearing rolling stock.

Just my opinion, but do NOT paint your rails red, since main line, heavily trafficked rails, simply do NOT rust. Depending on your modeling era, I suggest you either look at many color photos of real main line track, or simply go out and look at your local railroad's main line.

OK Thanks. I now found the Scenery Forum, but did not find it on the way I navigated thru the last time. I appreciate your thoughts. I'll be painting only the sides of the rails, and nothing on the Gargraves Phantom center rail.

Do a forum search for "painting track" and "weathering track" as this topic has been discussed in detail many times. You will find a lot of info and pictures to show what it looks like after the fact.

I use Rustoleum Camoflauge Brown.  Dennis Brennan forum member (search for his website) has excellent information and supplies. Great book with clear instructions.  See pics below.

  This show the rail after spray painting.

This is a comparison between painted and unpainted.

This shows rails completely finished.

One more suggestion is search the internet for images of RR yards or crossing.  You'll see what rails actually look like in the real world.

Wood...that looks great.  I am doing this to my track and am using a Woodland Scenics paint pen but the color looks just about the same...

Alan

I weathered my Ross track using two colors - the first was flat black sprayed on and allowed to dry (except for the top of the rails, of course), followed by brushing the rail sides with a color called Oak Barrel. I found it at the True Value hardware store.  I'm sure Lowe's or Home Depot would have something similar.  You might have to test some samples to see what looks good to you.  I used dirty brown and white weathering powders on the ties.

Of course you "only paint the sides of the rails", however the EASIEST way to accomplish THAT is to simply spray EVERYTHING, then simply wipe off the top of the rails with a cotton rag wrapped around a piece of wood, moistened with lacquer thinner. I did my whole layout that way, and by also weathering/painting the center rail, it is a lot less visible.

Thanks Alan,  This modeling of the tracks is completely changing my layout.  I am really happy with the improvement.  Going from a "Toy" train layout to a new level which has really given me a new spark of interest and involvement in the hobby.  Maybe the real change is in me.... 

Sean VERY nicely done.  Particularly the bridge weathering.  It's got that nice hint of "need to be painted soon" rust.

Posted by Sean:

 

If you paint the outside rails, but not the center rail.... it sticks out even worse than it already does!  Like Hot Water said, paint it ALL!

Here is how the track looks when you "paint it ALL".  Hot's layout, my stuff.

Regards,

Jerry

This picture was taken by Jdeveleerjr:

#1 It's beautiful.

#2 It represents a main line track with some aged color.  Bright top rails and rusty brown side rails that blends into the RR ties.

There are some really good examples here.....and Zeke....yours looks outstanding and just about matches the picture above!

Alan

Remember that the color on the sides of the rails is very dependent on the time frame/era that you are modeling. As the photos of the prototype rails, posted above, plainly show, modern era rails no longer get "oily" as ALL rolling stock today are roller bearing equipped and thus do not leak anything. All that remains to "color" or "weather" the rails is dust from the composition brake shoes (on down grades especially), sand from the diesels (on up grades especially), and metallic wheel/rail wear dust.

Since I model the "steam era", when ALL the freight equipment had oil lubricated plain bearings, and steam locomotives threw off all sorts of grease & oil, I weathered MY track to look just like the late 1940s thru the mid 1950s. Obviously, todays track looks nothing like that anymore.

Jack - When I first heard you say that you used charcoal green color I couldn't picture it.  But after seeing first pictures and then your layout in person, you nailed it.  I love the realistic look of your track.  You have done an excellent job of it.

Art 

Thanks Art. Being very familiar with the old Texaco HD57 Journal Oil from the 1940s/1950s, which was green in color, it was a bit difficult to try and duplicate it on weathered track. Luckily, GNNPNUT (Jerry Zeman) came up with that spray paint color, so I went to Menards and purchased a small case of cans.