I'm sending this as a new thread as my response to those who commented did not post except to my discussion summary. So as not to be labeled ungrateful, I'm trying again but as a new thread. Hopefully it works this time.
My initial post gets posted but keeps keeps on disappearing from all the other posts in my displays. Not sure why that is happening. Yet I can go to my posts under my name and it is there along with all the comment replies. So at least it must not disappear for those who commented. Very mysterious.
Anyway, just want to say thank you to all who replied. Sure am glad the memory really didn't fail me.
The more I look at those black cinders, the less I like it. Why do they even make it that deep black color? I'll try some of your really good suggestions with colored washes, sand, etc. and see if I can make it look better.
Be interesting to see if this post actually gets posted and stays there for awhile.Sure hope this gets posted. Thanks again. Ken
I use Woodland Scenics Medium Cinder Ballast on my HO scale layout in heavy work areas and it looks fine. The color is black but so were cinders.
Rich
Alton Junction
Ken,
Its ok, I understand your post!
The plain black color just doesn't look "real" to me for cinders - although it truly is a pretty fair representation. On my last layout I used a dark brown, which worked out pretty good - and differentiated from the "black" of coal found in other areas of the loco terminals.
Not sure why your postings don't seem to work. When I reply to my own originated threads I typically hit "reply" to the last one and all is well. But on the other hand, its also worked when I hit reply on my original post. Go figure..............
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
KenKal- When I was jr. high school our running track was made from cinders and they were the deep black color, don't know if they were treated with any thing but they left a lasting mark if you tripped ( wont tell you how I found out ). If you find the color too dark try several wash's of thin light gray paint applied with an air brush or eye dropper. Otto
It may be that the color is correct (as Otto reminds me, the high school across the tracks from my house had cinders too, and they were black) but that it doesn't look right under artificial light. It's like years back when Stewart came out with an F unit in CB&Q light gray. The color was apparently exactly like the real ones, but under artificial light it looked gray while the real engines looked white. I've heard that many military modelers routinely add a little white to most colors to lighten them so they look better under artificial light.
Would be interesting to find out why your original post is somewhere out there in cyberspace. When I checked on my list of posts, it is there with my reply, but no sign of it in the main listing.
Interesting!!!
Frustrating!!
Good luck,
Richard
cowman Would be interesting to find out why your original post is somewhere out there in cyberspace. When I checked on my list of posts, it is there with my reply, but no sign of it in the main listing. Interesting!!! Frustrating!! Good luck, Richard
It's been right here all the time: http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/204212.aspx in the prototype info section.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
bogp40,
Interesting, that's not where I answered it. Must have gotten moved. I didn't think to look to see which section it was posted in now.
Live and learn,
The xider color remember was a deep dark very dark black looking, but when held up to the sun or reflectimg broght light was really a dark purplish brown.
As suggested, I have tried a few washes, but the look is avoiding me I guess as I either put down too much or too little. I have also been experimenting with various mixes of W/S cinder, dark brown, brown, buff and dark gray ballasts. The browns and the gray smaller measures appear to nicely tone down the larger measure of black cinders. It takes very little buff to ruin the look.
Anyway, thanks again to all of you that commented. Much appreciated. Ken
John Craig The xider color remember was a deep dark very dark black looking, but when held up to the sun or reflectimg broght light was really a dark purplish brown.
Absolutely -- I too recall a decided "purple haze" color to the cinder ballast when looked at closely. Ditto for slag ballast. And regardless of exact color, there was some variation and variety in the shades of cinder ballast particularly as it aged. The thing about cinder ballast is that its chief virtue was that it was cheap, indeed free in the steam era. But it has to be refreshed and replenished more often than rock ballast with the consequence that you tended to see different eras of cinders in close proximity.
Not in relation to cinder ballast per se but years ago I recall someone writing in Model Railroader that given our artificial light it is a good idea to minimize or even avoid true total black on the layout. the specific example being talked about was steam locomotives. That is why many custom painters added just a touch of gray (sometimes quite a bit more than a touch) to their black paint.
For certain purposes where rattle can paint is acceptable I have found that the "black" paint intended for outdoor grills has just enough gray or charcoal color to it that it looks like a true black should look under indoor light, whereas a true true black again looks somehow "wrong."
Following the that logic the reason black cinders may just look wrong -- in addition to maybe black being the wrong color to being with -- is that all true black looks "wrong" and needs a hint of gray . And with ballast, a bit of variety of shade.
Dave Nelson
I have used crushed briquettes with good reults. I crush briquettes under an old towel so they don't fly every where. You will get different grades. I then use screen wire or mesh to seperate the coarser cinders and use the coarse for coal piles, and coal loads in coal cars. To get to finer grades i use fine sheetrock sanding screens. It takes a little time but looks neat. It works well with wet water and 50/50 white glue/water as an adhesive. So if you have the time you can get all the sinders you want for very cheap.