I'm about to start weathering a Walthers PRR N6B cabin car and I'm wondering what I should do with the roof.
I'm not sure what the texture should be but I'm certain it should not be smooth plastic. This is a car that would have been built in 1913 and probably had a wooden roof covered with what passed for tar-paper then (probably felt covered with tar).
My objective is to weather the car as it would have appeared in branch line service in 1943.
Does anyone have information about the roof of this or other cars of a similar age?
ChuckAllen, TX
Hi,
A few decent photos are here:
http://www.whippanyrailwaymuseum.net/exhibits/equipment/cabooses/penn-n6b-cabin-car
When I want to simulate an asphalt-coated canvas roof I will sometimes use a heavy-bodied automotive spray primer. This one, in particular, does a nice job of simulating textured asphalt or "tar" roofing— Rustoleum 249418:
https://tinyurl.com/ybafgr3y
PRR_cabin-NDA4 by Edmund, on Flickr
PRR_NDA2b-1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Even on a steel-roofed car it can look like an asphalt coating which was sometimes applied to a leaky roof:
PRR_N5_5012lg by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
Thanks, Ed; particularly for the link and the great pictures.
I have a can of Rustoleum 2089 Dark Gray Primer. I've used it to convert white styrene to new steel several times. It must not be as "heavy" as the primer you mentioned; my steel H-columns and pipe have a very smooth finish. I wonder if spraying a pool on my glass dish palette and adding weathering powder --- NOT thoroughly mixed --- might give me the desired texture. I'll have to experiment a bit.
In any case, I can't spray the roof of this N6b very well. For one thing, the cupola roof, sides and ends are molded as a single piece. Secondly, there are grab irons, guy rods, and a stack for the coal stove that should not be the same color or texture as the surface of the roof. I guess this is a typical problem when trying to improve an RTR model as opposed to building a kit or scratch building.
I've sent an email to the Whippany Railway Museum (thanks to your link) asking for detailed information on the construction materials used. It helps to know what it is you're modeling if you want to get it right.
UPDATE: This reply from Richard Taft at the Whippany Railway Museum was in my Inbox this morning:
"You are correct, The roof was constructed of wood, overlaid with canvas, and covered in tar or asphalt."
Chuck,
I've paged through a dozen or-so PRR Keystone Magazines pertaining to PRR wood cabin cars looking for specifics on roof applications. Near as I can tell, a heavy canvas was tacked in place, seams cemented and rolled using asbestos roof cement then the whole was covered with an asphalt roof cement (brushable tar, essentially). I've spread lots of this stuff on old passenger car roofs. Some of it had fiber in it (probably to substitute for the asbestos). They sell the same stuff for mobile homes and barns.
The Summer 1989 Keystone issue has an article about the restoration of PRR 980016 in Harrisburg, and the article mentions that they used a textured polymer membrane roof material that simulates the look of the original canvas covering.
The Rustoleum spray I mention dries to a nice dark, chalky gray color that really seems to represent aged asphalt cement very well, to my eyes, anyway.
IMG_7248 by Edmund, on Flickr
I wonder if you could cover the roof in the same fabric that the model aircraft folks use to skin a fuselage? That would be a challenge but you would have a nice looking model! You could look into using tissue paper (telephone book pages, remember those?) and thinned paint to apply pieces to your roof. I've simulated tar paper like this.
gmpullmanI wonder if you could cover the roof in the same fabric that the model aircraft folks use to skin a fuselage?
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
gmpullman I wonder if you could cover the roof in the same fabric that the model aircraft folks use to skin a fuselage? Ed, I fear that the warp and weft of aircraft fabric, be it Irish linen or any of the synthetics, would just look too BIG for HO roofing material. I did use an offcut of a thin old cotton sheet to simulate a canvas tarpaulin but after bonding it with white glue, I then had to fill the weave up with paint. I’m not unhappy with the result but… on Flickr Besides I did have difficulties getting a crisp edge even using a new blade. on Flickr Not that I can offer you any advice on how to, but I’d experiment with Eds paint suggestion. Cheers, the Bear.
gmpullman I wonder if you could cover the roof in the same fabric that the model aircraft folks use to skin a fuselage?
on Flickr
I used tape once many years ago when I wanted a seamed roof with the edge of one strip overlapping the next. The tape was the good Scotch tape with a matte finish. Painting it Grimy Black gave me exactly the effect of painted steel that I wanted. If I had it to do over, I'd use a silver sharpie to hide some of the Grimy Black (where the paint was worn off the galvanized steel).
I actually considered using blue masking tape to get pronounced seams and a little texture on the roof of this car but the research I've done and the feedback I've received make me think that seams would not be right.
cefinkjrI actually considered using blue masking tape to get pronounced seams...
Keep in mind that, I believe, the blue stuff is made to peel off easier. Maybe the plain, beige stuff will stick better. I found some black masking tape from an Ebay seller that is pretty handy for model work and sticks very well.
Some of the simulated tarp work I've seen has been done with tissue, AKA Kleenex, soaked in diluted PVA or white glue.
I like your boat tarp, Bear. Older, canvas tarps were much heavier that what we're used to seeing today.