Late last night my car was filled with a blinking glow of bright red lights as I sat at a railroad crossing waiting for a slow-moving freight train to move along and let me be on my way.
As my headlights shown onto boxcars and tankers, I began to notice how streaked, rusted, dusty...
just how dirty every car passing me was.
With rusted steel and oil streaks lining all the cars in front of me, I started trying to remember the last time I'd seen a clean, shiny new railcar on any tracks I happened to be watching.
And I couldn't think of ever seeing one.
The truth is, I don't want to see a brand new railcar or locomotive.
Something about the grandeur of trains is the fact that they are workhorses, pulling the materials of America across America.
And that's a dirty job.
You may be able to guess the question coming next: If no actual trains are running through your city with brand new coats of spotless paint, then why would your model city have sparkling, just out of the box trains running through it? Weathering is one of the most important aspects of having your model train stand as a true representation of real trains.
The following are a couple of the most common (and realistic) methods of weathering your trains and structures.
Paintbrushes Paintbrushes are one of the easiest ways to create a weathered look on your trains and scenery, particularly when you're looking for a streaked look, such as streaked rust or spilled oil.
As with all of the methods, the colors you choose will usually be earth tones ranging from glossy black that recreates oil to muted browns used for a dusty look.
Use a brush with stiff bristles (cheap brushes will do just fine) and put just a dab of paint on the end and add streaks to your railcars or buildings with a light hand.
Be weary of adding too much paint or brushing too hard, as these conditions can leave unsightly brushstrokes and discredit the "real" look you desire.
Weathering with Chalk Chalk weathering is a good tool to give your trains an overall dirtier, older look.
You can pick up chalk designed specifically for this purpose that comes with a "built-in" adhesive that will attach itself to your trains.
Use a softer brush for the application of the chalk to give a more even and, therefore, more natural look.
To create a more permanent bond, spray a thin layer of clear flat finish onto the surface to hold the chalk permanently.
Airbrushing Though it can require more practice (and perhaps a steadier hand) than the above methods, airbrushing can produce extremely convincing looks, particularly when you need to recreate exhaust and dust.
Play around with colors and combinations of colors, as well as the amount you apply to each area of the car or building you are working on.
You will probably want to start out by practicing on some cardboard or scrap plastic before you actually begin airbrushing your trains.
For the most part, you will probably want to keep a very light coat to keep your realistic look, but let your eye be your guide - all of these techniques are about making your model look real, not about following the "rules.
" In Conclusion The above techniques are by no means meant to be an exhaustive list of weathering techniques, but they are here to represent the tip of the iceberg.
Commonly, a combination of these techniques and more will be used to achieve an overall realism effect for your model.
So, find some pictures of real trains online that have a look you'd want to achieve (or for a more exciting and hands on method, grab a camera and take some pictures of your own) and combine the many weathering attempts to create the exact look you have in mind.