Weathering

[runawaytrain]

I have an old caboose that I want give a rusted, out of use effect.  It's going to be used on an abandoned section of track on a layout with weeds growing out from underneath the carriage and other details. I want to leave some of the original finish (logo) on the car so you could tell which railroad it once served. Any ideas out there? Thank you in advance 

[Firelock76]

I don't weather myself, just can't bring myself to do it, but I understand a good way to do it is to use chalk or pastel dust on the piece.  It's not permanent and be brushed off easily should you change your mind and want to return the piece to it's "pristine" appearance.

Hope this helps.

[8ntruck]

There are lots of weathering techniques.  Dry brushing, air brushing, weathering chalks, India ink washes, thinned paint washes, to name a few.  There are many books out there that describe the various methods.  Check your local hobby shop.

Weathering is a learned skill - you need to do it to learn it.  You will want to start on something that won't matter so much if your first attempts don't work out too well. 

Basically, you want to add dirt to your caboose.  You could start by applying thinned dirt or rust colored paint to the trucks.  Try thinning the paint 50/50 as a starting point.  When you apply the paint, go easy.  You can always add more, but you can't remove it once it is applied. 

Good luck, and have fun.