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Track weathering colors?

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  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Sweden
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Track weathering colors?
Posted by electrolove on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 2:49 AM
In the scenery clinic I can read that Joe Fugate is using the following 2 colors to weather the track:

I paint the sides of the rails with Pollyscale Roof Brown (mainline) or DRGW Depot Brown (sidings/spurs).

I can find Roof Brown but not any color called DRGW Depot Brown, can someone please tell me the item number?

What colors do you use to weather the track? Please show me some pictures of the process and result.
Rio Grande Zephyr 5771 from Denver, Colorado to Salt Lake City, Utah "Thru the Rockies"
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 5:21 AM
Floquil makes Rail Brown, if that is any help.

Bob Boudreau
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  • From: Out on the Briny Ocean Tossed
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Posted by Fergmiester on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 5:59 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

Floquil makes Rail Brown, if that is any help.

Bob Boudreau


It's a good colour for spur lines but if you look at main lines they are a greasy black colour. Though I haven't tried it yet but plan to, I may try mixing the "Rail Brown" with the Floquil "Weathered Black". If that doesn't work then I 'll paint the rails with the weathered black then I'll touch it up with the rail brown.

Fergie

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959

If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007  

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Posted by nbrodar on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 7:39 AM
I use Polly S Zinc Cromate Primer for the mains, and DRG&W Frt. Car Red for the spurs.

Nick

Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 9:25 AM
What colours do you fancy[%-)]
If you haven't done so already i suggest that you go to my profile and read all the stuff on ballast and weathering.
Simple principles seem to be...
Base colour should be suited to the origins of the material
"Weathering" both ageing and deposited crud are specific to locality, traffic and history.
More recent "weathering"/deposits shows up where the colour is distinct... as in shiny new/clean ballast added on top of old yeuky stuff.
For it to look really good you don't want to end up with an overall colour but want to be able to read a story of development over time.

As to your original question...
It doesn't matter what colours someone else uses... find what looks right for you.
Then again... I use microscale flextrack which comes with the rail weathered for a little bit more £. I believe that I can get a rail weathering agent for the stuff I bought before i found the ready done stuff.
To determine what colours you want to use for your ballast look at LOADS of pics... from all sorts of angles. You might want to try to reduce the pics you are looking at to a state, an area of the state and then by whether the track is main, siding or yard (what sort of yard)... then also by period.

Have fun![:D]
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 9:26 AM
There are many factors involved in the colour of weathered track.
Much depends on if it's mainline, branchline, yard track, depot track etc,etc.
The geology and geography of the terrain plays a major roll together with climatic conditions and also the type of traffic which travels over the line. I use a lot of different tones which i mix myself from reds, yellows, greens and black. The tracks at my coal mine are almost covered in black coal dust and mud.
In other words you can use the colour you think is best.
William [:)]

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