Weekend Update 8/26/18

[chuck geiger]

Some progress on BNSF PONDEROSA SUB:

[GaryHinshaw]

The body-mounting campaign continues with some cement hoppers:



I've also been playing around with some weathering techniques:





It's hard to ignore the slightly clunky end cage detail in these close-up shots, but they look ok in real life.  Can't wait for the IM 3281 hoppers to add a little variety to the fleet. 

[Cajonpassfan]

Gary, those look so good! But I still think the ballast has a lot to do with it
Chuck, "Trouble Brewing"? Really? I like it!
Fun stuff!
Otto K.

[muktown128]

Gary,

The weathered trucks and wheels with polished treads really make these cars pop!  Can you provide some close ups with better lighting?  I wonder how they would look under night time conditions like sitting at a grade crossing at night watching the cars go by. 

Oh yeah, the ballast looks good also.     I'm still focused on the wheels and trucks.

Scott

[JanesCustomTrain]

I've also been playing around with some weathering techniques:

That looks very good. How did you achieve that effect ? Magic ? 

Jane

[peteski]

The body-mounting campaign continues with some cement hoppers:

As I scrolled down the thread and first laid my eyes on this photo, I thought it was a reference photo of the 1:1 scale hopper train. Even the lines in the background rocks,while they did confuse me a bit, didn't make me think it was a model scene. Only after my eyes scanned around the photo I caught the fact that I can see plywood base, and the end details are a bit chunkier than 1:1 version!  The coloring and the angle the photo was shot from make it look very realistic.

I've also been playing around with some weathering techniques:





It's hard to ignore the slightly clunky end cage detail in these close-up shots, but they look ok in real life.  Can't wait for the IM 3281 hoppers to add a little variety to the fleet. 

I am also very interested in the weathering techinque you used on these cars.  It is *VERY* realistic.

[GaryHinshaw]

Thanks for the kind words folks - it provides fresh motivation. 

Otto, you're right about the ballast.  Here is a shot showing the same cut of cars sitting on the front track of the (future) cement plant lead:



The track there is just some temporary Peco flex until I get around to laying some code 40, and the backdrop is just a test print using my old Epson inkjet (that needs a cleaning).  The scene doesn't have quite the same sizzle. But wait until those tracks are hand-laid code 40, embedded in years of wind-swept concrete dust...   

Scott, I too focus (nay, obsess) on wheels - one of humankind's greatest inventions after all.  This shot may be what you're looking for.  Maybe I can try a night-time "headlight" video some time. 

As for the weathering, I started with a generic fade coat, then an overall grey wash.  This was followed by a layer of titanium white soft-body acrylic (Golden brand in this case), thinned with Tamiya airbrush thinner (an alcohol-based formula).  I pooled it slightly along the top/side of the car, then dragged it down the sides with a dry Windsor & Newton bamboo brush:



I finished it off with a very light dusting of a light brown Bragdon powder to add a little desert dust to the concrete.

None of these cars on their own is intended as a showpiece.  The effect I'm going for is that @peteski will have to do a double-take on the overall scene to see if it's a model.    But I have no illusion that anyone will be fooled on a second look.

[peteski]

As for the weathering, I started with a generic fade coat, then an overall grey wash.  This was followed by a layer of titanium white soft-body acrylic (Golden brand in this case), thinned with Tamiya airbrush thinner (an alcohol-based formula).  I pooled it slightly along the top/side of the car, then dragged it down the sides with a dry Windsor & Newton bamboo brush:


I finished it off with a very light dusting of a light brown Bragdon powder to add a little desert dust to the concrete.

None of these cars on their own is intended as a showpiece.  The effect I'm going for is that @peteski will have to do a double-take on the overall scene to see if it's a model.    But I have no illusion that anyone will be fooled on a second look.

Thanks Gary!  It seems so easy until I try to do it.  I also think that a photo of any N scale model where one has to do a double take to realize that it is not a real train or even H0 model, is damn good!

[Smike]

Excellent work @GaryHinshaw  I find doing light weathering is more challenging then heavy. Especially on smooth side hoppers where there is very little detail to hide any mistakes.

[Smike]

Completed a kit bash from the Atlas Viaduct kit. Here is the completed work next to one of the many prototypes found on the old Lehigh Valley main. I was not shooting for an exact replica, but to get the theme right.

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[Dave V]

@Smike , not only does it look the part, but you nailed the coloring.  Very well done!

[mark dance]

Completed a kit bash from the Atlas Viaduct kit. Here is the completed work next to one of the many prototypes found on the old Lehigh Valley main. I was not shooting for an exact replica, but to get the theme right.

Beautiful painting!  Might I ask you to describe your techniques?
md

[GaryHinshaw]

Really nice @Smike, especially the mineralization!  Do tell.

[wazzou]

Some progress on BNSF PONDEROSA SUB:

@chuck geiger
Is that bridge fitted so tightly between the abutments that it is causing that much deflection in the bridge?
Now I can see why you had piers positioned under the bridge to help prop up the center.
I would definitely file the abutments to widen the gap some and take the pressure off of the bridge if that is indeed what is going on here.

[Smike]

Thanks gents!

So here is how I went about this.


1.   Mix a dirty concrete looking off white and lay down a coat to fill in the mortar cracks. Then I carefully wiped off the excess on the surface stone (But any mortar painting technique will work)  I used cheap Acrylics
2.   Now for the stone work I have a tray where I have several different shades of grey or off white , even brown, and just constantly mix them on a section of cardstock to dry them up, and then dry brush the stone, and dab/stipple individual stones as well. I work on one shade in random locations, then mixed a new shade and repeated until they were sufficiently colored.  Just keep working until you like the results and they look random enough.  I use a thin brush which I cut the hair real short, so its thin but stiff. Again I just used cheap Acrylics.

3.   For the cement under the bridge I would dab small amounts of Acrylic paint on the top and the upper sides and drag/dry brush it down so it streaks. (again using lots of color variations) You can use a thinner, water or whatever your choice is if you need to help move the paint, but dry brushing over and over seems to work. Lots of layers.

4.   For the mineral spots which are so typical of old concreate work, I applied 'tiny dabs' where I want the streaks to start of Gouache zince white toned down with slightest amount of Burnt Umber (the idea is to have it slightly off white, but still pretty bright) then I come back with a dry brush with some MicroSol and drag the paint down. You still want to keep a spot of white but with streaks leaking out and down. (tiny brushes are key)  Try some other colors too with this technique. 

5.   Last I dusted sparingly with some powders.

Overall key is to constantly mix your shades of grey to get lots of variations.