Seeking photos of painted/weathered Peco code 55

[Chris333]

[MDW]

Dave
Take a look at Tyler Whitcomb’s Tenino Western RR.  It was featured in the February 2020 issue of Model Railroad Craftsman and has it’s own FB page.  Really top notch N scale modeling & great looking Peco track - nicely ballasted, weathered & detailed.   Definitely the look I’m going for on my own layout.

Michel

[Dave V]

Dave
Take a look at Tyler Whitcomb’s Tenino Western RR.  It was featured in the February 2020 issue of Model Railroad Craftsman and has it’s own FB page.  Really top notch N scale modeling & great looking Peco track - nicely ballasted, weathered & detailed.   Definitely the look I’m going for on my own layout.

Michel

Yes, @wazzou sent me some pictures.  That's an exceptionally well executed layout in every respect, track included.

[randgust]

I've been using Peco C55 now for about 10 years, and I transition from Kato to Peco on all my T-trak modules.   

I'm following a procedure not unlike Pete Seeborg's track painting exercise in MR.  The 'big thing' is to spray-paint the ties gray and then weather the ties, I generally hand-paint the rail.

The prototype I'm modeling had cinder ballast that was upgraded to stone in the early 20's when the Lackawanna steel mill opened, so the two-track format is a 'cinder filled' inner track as a passing siding, with a ballasted outer track.   



And of course I have to remind you of the ghost of PRR N scale, you helped start that.

This is as close as I can come to a 'Colorado Narrow Gauge' flash...  and there's a lot of C80 switches buried in there with the C55




Over on the ATSF layout, all the Flagstaff industrial sidings are relaid with Peco, and there, pretty much buried in the dirt.

[Dave V]

Thanks, Randy!

This is a neat shot of the prototype on Midland Hill above Buena Vista.  The Peco track (minus the big-a$$ spikes) actually isn't so far off of this:

[Cajonpassfan]

Mike Dennamen (sp?) With the D&RG layout uses c55 Peco.

Sorry at work:
https://www.google.com/search?q=mike+danneman+N+scale&client=chrome-mobile&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwia0LPZyefqAhUIiqwKHRMuBDoQ_AUoAXoECAsQAw&biw=1261&bih=1959

I’ve had an opportunity to visit (and run on) Mike’s amazing layout last summer, and one of the things that struck me about his Peco trackwork is that there isn’t much color contrast between the ties and the very dark ballast. The rails are nice and rusty, it’s all nicely blended, and the oversized ties and spikes just sort of disappear into the trackbed. Of course Mike is an artist and he does everything so well, his Front Range scenery is breathtaking and so one doesn’t spend much time studying the Peco track.
My vote, for whatever it’s worth, would be the “cinder look”....
Following with interest,
Otto

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Dave, black sanded grout is pretty much exactly what the doctor ordered here.

[Dave V]

Dave, black sanded grout is pretty much exactly what the doctor ordered here.

Perhaps.  I still have a mertic f**kton of the super fine dark gray Scenic Express stuff on hand though.  I think it did really well on the test piece and on the RGS:



I like it because it's actually not too black.  What's your go-to brand and size for black sanded grout?  I don't need a lot.

[Dave V]

A few refinements on the test piece.  Painted some individual ties.

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[davefoxx]

That test sample looks really good. I say go with that.

DFF

[Angus Shops]

I agree, that looks good. The wider than typical North American tie spacing works to your advantage in this case as well. But here’s a wacky idea: seeing how the Peco rail is half buried in the ties, the massively oversized spikes don’t really serve any purpose. Can they be sanded or cut down substantially and still have track strong enough for your purposes?
Geoff

[Dave V]

...the massively oversized spikes don’t really serve any purpose. Can they be sanded or cut down substantially and still have track strong enough for your purposes?
Geoff

Quite possibly!  I see more experimentation in my future (again, you're welcome, @chicken45 )!

[amato1969]

Oh man, love the variation in tie colors - well played!

[Bryn]

Dave

On my Peco code 55 I used earth powder held down with the usual PVA and water mix. I think mine was listed as Normandy earth. Once dried I also gave it a once over with various weathering powders.

https://www.treemendus-scenics.co.uk/groundwork/



More details on my thread
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=47264.0

[CRL]

I agree, that looks good. The wider than typical North American tie spacing works to your advantage in this case as well. But here’s a wacky idea: seeing how the Peco rail is half buried in the ties, the massively oversized spikes don’t really serve any purpose. Can they be sanded or cut down substantially and still have track strong enough for your purposes?
Geoff

The Peco track doesn’t have massively oversized spikes. It’s a representation of British railroad method of attaching track to the ties. You can shave them off if desired nice they don’t hold the track. The buried web secures the track.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=gmjLscBt&id=AEC2549F4043CD89527B36990ED3C4E1FB50F909&thid=OIP.gmjLscBtUD8WplWc4Z4VuQHaE6&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F8%2F8e%2FBR18000.jpg%2F1200px-BR18000.jpg&exph=796&expw=1200&q=british+rail+photos&simid=608008511192829712&ck=5A48512F3305E27FBE30992C09029333&selectedindex=5&adlt=demote&shtp=GetUrl&shid=a6d45e37-4629-48b1-8236-f5e842dacbae&shtk=QnJpdGlzaCBSYWlsIDE4MDAwIC0gV2lraXBlZGlh&shdk=Rm91bmQgb24gQmluZyBmcm9tIGVuLm0ud2lraXBlZGlhLm9yZw%3D%3D&shhk=r1Pna2310j%2FgW6mabaVMQ0b1bv444R7VTw9884U9c3k%3D&form=EX0023&shth=OSH.rIPBdhIcl7BdDNWnpfFXHw