Weathering with Oils

I recently started a few weathering projects again.  I met a fellow N scale enthusiast at the train show in January, and we exchanged weathering techniques as well as other fascinating N scale information.  He had been trying some different techniques as well, and suggested I try using oils.  Up to this point, my limited experience has included using an airbrush for fading and general grime, etc., and dry-brushing acrylics.  I found a couple tubes of oil paint at a local craft store and tried it out.  I had purchased several Fox Valley Models boxcars at the train show for just a few bucks each and was anxious to get them dirty.

This is my first completed boxcar using oils.  I gave it a very heavy fade coat with a technique learned from Gary Hinshaw.  I really like this technique as it is almost impossible to screw up.  I followed the fade with a black wash, then turned to the oils for the rust effects.  I used both burnt sienna and burnt umber to create the rust.

The trucks were airbrushed with a mixture of rust and grimy black Polly S acrylic.  I added 33" metal wheelsets from Fox Valley Models.

I'm pleased with this first attempt, but learned some valuable lessons that I can apply to the next project.  I regret not taking a photo of the original car, but I attached artwork from FVM.  Needless to say, the blue on the finished model turned out quite well for this aged and sun-beaten boxcar.

Shiloh Limited Union Pacific #844 - One Last Look

I just couldn't let #844 leave town without watching it one more time.  This morning I took both the 7 year old son, and 4 year old daughter just south of Omaha to watch the Shiloh Limited as it went southbound to its destination.

Here is a video of #844 as it heads southbound through the small town of Mynard, NE which is just south of Plattsmouth, after crossing the Platte River, and the BSNF mainline.

Weathering Projects - Back in the Saddle

After a very mild yet long winter, I cleaned and organized the garage recently and set up my workbench for painting, decaling, and weathering projects.  I forgot just how much I enjoyed weathering individual pieces of rolling stock.  I have collected and am storing a lot of items that were selected specifically for weathering and other enhancements to become a permanent part of my fleet.  I am very close to finishing a pair of ARMN 57' mechanical reefers.  Needless to say, my skills are a bit rusty (pun intended) after several months of focusing on other aspects of this hobby.  Here are the 2 reefers with 1 remaining in original factory paint except for the graffiti decal.  I used a fade coat followed by a black wash to dirty the car, followed by rust drybrushing.  Graffiti was added in the middle of weathering, and yellow reflector stripes were added at the end of the weathering layers.  I think I went a bit heavy on these, however, the prototype version of these cars are showing their age, and a few are pretty dirty.

Chasing Union Pacific #844 Shiloh Limited

My son and I jumped in the car this morning with camera, ipad, ipod, and cell phone, and headed west to find Union Pacific #844 as it made its way west across Nebraska.  We couldn't have asked for a better day, especially in March where you never know what you are going to get.  We met up with the train in Duncan, Nebraska, and was able to chase it back towards Blair before I had spent about every ounce of enthusiasm from my 7 year old.  My crazy driving and my son's motivating chants of "come on dad" allowed us to get in front of the train 8 different times in a short afternoon.  It was a day well spent, and I never get tired of seeing real live steam.  Here are some of the highlights including a shot taken from the (moving) car.  (and people think teenagers texting while driving is bad!)

Video of Union Pacific #844