Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Rusty Rails Painter - Which paint?

5788 views
6 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 333 posts
Rusty Rails Painter - Which paint?
Posted by jcopilot on Monday, December 28, 2009 1:50 PM
I've read all the posts I can find about the Rusty Rails Painter and it seems that most people who use it like it. My question is for those who have used it. What type of paint did you find worked best - a solvent-based paint like Floquil, acrylic RR paint, acrylic craft paint or the paint 'made for' the Rusty Rails Painter? Did you have to thin the paint? I have a lot of track to paint and spraying with an airbrush or 'rattle' can is out of the question as the RR room is right below our bedroom. Thanks for your help, Jeff
If it's worth doing, it's worth doing twice.
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: SE Minnesota
  • 6,847 posts
Posted by jrbernier on Monday, December 28, 2009 2:05 PM

  I have used both Floquil 'rail brown' and the acrylic 'railroad tie brown' with this tool.  It works quite well on code 100 trackage.  Code 83 trackage can be a little tricky as the 'wheel' seems to be a little too big - maybe reducing the spacer will help.  The 'rail brown' seems to be only available in the standard Floqul RR line(smells), the 'railroad tie brown' paint is available in the in the Polly Scale acrylic line of paints.  Both seem to work just fine.  I have not tied the Joe's custom acrylics, but I assume they do not have the smell of the original Floquil either.

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Posted by gandydancer19 on Monday, December 28, 2009 2:35 PM

 I used it with the paint they sell.  However, I don't put it in the bottle any more.  I put the paint in a small tray type container and use it like a regular paint roller, picking up the paint from the tray and then applying it to the rails.  I am doing it this way because trying to clean the tube is a real pain.  Plus I paint small sections of rail at a time and filling the bottle etc is not worth it.

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.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Monday, December 28, 2009 3:07 PM

 I have the tool,but don't care for it...  Mine is always too much or too little.  Real trick to getting it to perform right. You're milage may vary.....   I do LOVE the Rusty Rails Paint!  I bought all 4 colors he offers when I bought the tool.  I now paint the rails with the Rusty Rails Paint using a very small (3/10 or something like that) paint brush.  It seems to be easier to control and I paint the "spike head" and the "tie plate" as well.

One thing I like about the Rusty Rails paint is that it can easily be cleaned off the top of the rail using a fingernail.............  I have used both the Dark Brown, and the Brown Rust on the rails in different locations.  Color comes out looking very nice!

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • 2,751 posts
Posted by Allegheny2-6-6-6 on Monday, December 28, 2009 4:42 PM

 Just go buy yourself those Flowquil paint pens they work remarkably well.

Just my 2 cents worth, I spent the rest on trains. If you choked a Smurf what color would he turn?
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Big Blackfoot River
  • 2,788 posts
Posted by Geared Steam on Monday, December 28, 2009 6:55 PM

 I used the paint "made for" the Rusty Rails painter on Atlas code 83, it worked great IMHO, yes it did get a little on the spikes and ties, but once everything is painted, ballasted and weathered with oil, grease etc it looks great.

Personally I like the product and the paint they make for it, it made quick work of that job. Once I was done I ran warm water threw the bottle, tube and wheel until it was clean.

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 333 posts
Posted by jcopilot on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 9:43 PM
Anybody else care to share their experience with the Rusty Rails Painter? Jeff
If it's worth doing, it's worth doing twice.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!