If you were replying to me, I used cheap acrylic craft paint (Wal Mart craft section, the small plastic bottles) and a bit of Mod Podge Gloss Medium, also found in that section. Mix some plain black, a tiny bit of the gloss medium so that it dries shiny, and you can dilute it about the same volume. Paint it between the rails. I overdid it, but it was my first every experiment. I know to dilute the mix more than I did so that it is less intense. Sometimes it is best to experiment on a test or hidden section, maybe on a disposable diorama where you try stuff before you do it to the layout.
Crandell
The first picture is amazing! How were you able to replicate the oil stains on the track?
I have used Floquil's "Rust", and oil-based paint with success. Also, Poly Scale's "Railroad Tie Brown". Most recently, on an outdoor diorama, Tamiya "Red Brown". I hand paint the same way Doc Wayne does. If necessary, I will trim the bristles on a cheap smallish artist's brush so that they are stiff and angled like a cutting or trim brush.
In this first image, the mains are in "Railroad Tie Brown", while the siding is "Rust". In the latter image, the diorama is outdoors being photographed in the morning sun against real mountains and trees. The rails were done in the Tamiya "Red Brown".
I'm using the Floquil markers for my layout, after researching here on the forums; and it's the easiest application of anything I've ever used! Rail brown, for the most part, with the odd splash of rust on the mainlines; Rust on secondary lines, & Rail Tie Brown for, well, the rail ties. Fast & easy to handle. Now only if my ballast went down as easy!
I also have the Rusty-Rails rail painter. I am now using it like a paint roller instead of putting paint in the bottle. Much easier to clean up.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
I have used the Rusty Rails Painter with great success. I like to do both sides of the rail, even when it is close to the backdrop and it is easy with the Rusty Rails Painter. After experimenting I have found by doing a first quick coat of the rust colour and then applying the brown or slate colour, it really looks like the rust is seeping out of things.
Some have complained that the painter clogs. This happened to me once only and that was because I did not shake the paint well enough before beginning. It has worked perfectly for me since.
http://www.joesmodeltrains.com/Rusty%20Rails%20Painter.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEJUDo7Uw94&feature=player_embedded
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I WAS hand brushing it on but that gets really tedious for me after just a few feet of track. My layout's not that huge but it was goign to take me a LONG time to get it all painted if I didn;t find an eaier way. So I bought a set of the paint markers, and they work great. Very quickly I was able to do large stretches. I use the rail brown and rust, a pass of the rust then a pass of the rail brown, so with two coats of paint everything is covered. The markers seem to do a good job of getting around the spike hads so small shiny areas don't show up. Not sure at this point how many total feet of track one marker will do, and you have to remember to periodically press them down to reload the tip with fresh paint (not against the rails, it WILL skip over the top and make a mess - press against a scrap board or something). And that's the other nice thing about the markers, the tip fits neatly in the rail web, and hardly any paint ever gets on the railhead, unlike when brush painting.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
On my last layout I used craft paint applied with a flat artist's brush. The base coat for the main track was Americana "Asphaltum" which is a dark grayish brown. Lighter colors were employed for yards and secondary tracks. I touched up individual ties with black for new ties and various lighter shades for older ties. The basic color was left in place for the rails in most cases, although I did add some rust on lightly used tracks. When I do this again, I plan to use the Floquil paint markers instead of a brush for the finish color on the rails. Without some kind of primer coat, the markers often create an unrealistic translucent effect.
Rob Spangler
Although I used an airbrush for better control, I used a process like Mark's - paint all with spray (I used Floquil Railroad Tie Brown), then paint the rail sides with a Floquil pen (Rail Brown). Very easy, as Mark said. Last, when everything was dry, I used the Gleam process to clean and burnish the rail tops. Ballast yet to come.
When spraying, of course, ventilate really, really well!!!
Ed
I used a spray can of Floquil roof brown to paint the ties, and the Floquil paint pens for the sides of the rails. Painting the rails with the paint pen was quite easy.
Hope this helps.
Mark
Spray can - Rust-oleum Camouflage brown
Larry
http://www.youtube.com/user/ClinchValleySD40
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52481330@N05/
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/page/1/ppuser/8745/sl/c
I used PollyScale, applied with a fairly stiff 1/2" chisel-tip brush. With about 190' of mainline in service (not counting double track, passing sidings, or industrial spurs) I found it to be a relaxing task that could be done anytime a short window of free time arose. Even though my layout is mostly an around-the-walls type, I painted both sides of both rails, as I often take photographs with the camera on the layout. I didn't do any special prep work: mix the paint well, paint about 10' or 15' of track, then wipe the tops of the rails with a dry rag stretched over your finger tip. The dry, but not yet cured, paint comes off easily. Turnouts take a little longer, but are done in the same manner. After you've finished a session (5 minutes or two or three hours) allow the paint to fully cure for at least 24 hours before running trains.
Wayne
I am using a rattle can with a dark brown color to spray paint the sides of the rails before ballasting. Looks OK to me.
I have various paints by Floquil, Polly Scale, and Apple Barrel (found at Michaels). After attempting to hand paint a scrap piece of rail on an "experimental layout (6" by 6")" I had a hard time getting the Apple Barrel Acrylics to stick. An airbrush is out of my budget right now or this question would be a moot point. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get paint to stick on rail the first time? Any suggestions on the paints to use that are most effective? Are the Floquil / Polly Scale paint markers any good on painting rail? My layout is only a 2 foot by 5 foot area that I would be concentrating on with other portions to come so I don't mind the tediousness of painting rail by hand.
What have you done that has proved effective in this area? What do you recommend?