There was a recent post about painting track and several comments mentioned the use of Rustoleum or Krylon spray paint. How compatible are those products with plastic ties?
I also had another thought. Has anyone taken a sample of, for instance, Rail Brown, to a hardware and just had some flat paint mixed to match the color? I know is would be thicker than regular hobby paint but would that be a possible solution to the unavailabilty of certain Floquil colors?
http://www.microscale.com/ResourceCntr_Floquil.html
As I side note, this color chart is floating around that gives substitution colors for Floquil Poly S. Our of curiosity I ordered the Vallejo Green Gold which was supposed to be a suitable alternative to Rail Brown and it wasn't even close. It dried gold and was very shiny. Just an experiment on my part to find something that would work.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
Hi HaroldA; All of my Peco track is painted with Krylon Camo Brown Ultra Flat. After that I used other paints to add weathering etc. to areas of the track. I got this Idea, as I remember from a model builder on the RMC web site and It turned out great and was fast to complete. The Krylon does not bother the plastic ties on the Peco.
I opened the windows and for three hours sprayed away and done with Krylon. I worked in four foot sections and wiped with a cloth as I went on the rail tops which took most of the paint off. Later I totaly cleaned of the tops of the rail and top inside top edge with a track ereaser. I did my weathering later on to finish. The area I model is brown to almost black rail as this is a mostly dry climate. No hint of green. A little rust at times that I added with weathering later. Good luck. Doug
I've used both paints and they're fine with plastic.
I do clean the paint off the rail tops immediately with a paper towel weapped around a block of wood as it's easier that way for me.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
On your idea of big box paint, the cheaper paints all use larger pigment particles, which means they hide details thet we want to see. Thinning will not help.
Latex paint is great for covering plywood, and when wet acepts and holds ground foam well. If I ever build again I would try using it on cork roadbed before laying track, to look better before ballasting.
Dave
There are also paint markers, like a Magic Marker, only with different colored paint. (Not different colored markers.) Woodland Scenics has several sets for different uses or there are several brands available at local hardware stores that have colors very close to the WS ones. Elmer's is one brand, but without going to the bench, I can't remember the others.
I haven't done my track yet, but have seen some credible results here on the forums.
Good luck,
Richard
cowman There are also paint markers, like a Magic Marker, only with different colored paint. (Not different colored markers.) Woodland Scenics has several sets for different uses or there are several brands available at local hardware stores that have colors very close to the WS ones. Elmer's is one brand, but without going to the bench, I can't remember the others. I haven't done my track yet, but have seen some credible results here on the forums. Good luck, Richard
I tried the Woodland Markers and they seemed to be too transparent when viewed fairly close compaired to paint considering amount of work needed to apply!
And with over 4000 feet of track it wasn't going to be an inexpensive project
So I used the Floquil paint (oil based) and hand paint the track with a stubby flat brush which covers well and I am able to do large areas of track in a reasonable amount of time!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Model Masters spray works great!
I painted my rails using PollyScale paint, unthinned and applied with a brush. This was fast and easy, and no solvent smell to stink-up the house.While that paint has been discontinued, a friend has had good success using craft paint, also acrylic and much cheaper than model railroad-specific paints. I'll be using it to paint the track on the now-under-construction second level of my layout.
Wayne
I started out painting my the rails and ties using a rattle can of Rustolium Camo flat paint. Rather than continuing to mask the adjacent areas, I sprayed a sheet of paper, took it to the hardware store and got them to match the color in a quart of latex (for under $10.00). I slather the paint on rails and ties with a 3/4 inch brush, quickly wipe the top of the rail with an old undershirt wrapped around a finger, then later go over it again with a 'Brite Boy'. I do the sides of the rails in the moving parts of turnouts more carefully with a micro-brush. After 500-600 feet of track, I've used maybe 2/3 of a quart.
Grinnell
HaroldA There was a recent post about painting track and several comments mentioned the use of Rustoleum or Krylon spray paint. How compatible are those products with plastic ties? I also had another thought. Has anyone taken a sample of, for instance, Rail Brown, to a hardware and just had some flat paint mixed to match the color? I know is would be thicker than regular hobby paint but would that be a possible solution to the unavailabilty of certain Floquil colors? http://www.microscale.com/ResourceCntr_Floquil.html As I side note, this color chart is floating around that gives substitution colors for Floquil Poly S. Our of curiosity I ordered the Vallejo Green Gold which was supposed to be a suitable alternative to Rail Brown and it wasn't even close. It dried gold and was very shiny. Just an experiment on my part to find something that would work.
Being a long-time user of Vallejo acrylics, and being very happy with them, I was surprised at your comment. With over 400 shades among 3 lines (not counting the specialized Model Air colors), you should be able to match darned near any shade. Then I looked a little closer. The Vallejo stock number in the 795 series is one of their ultra metallic shades, which, according to my color chart, does indeed dry to a shiny, almost gold color. Then I looked at the Microscale chart and noticed that this color is Rail Brown, not Railroad Tie brown. Still Green gold doesn't match the color swatch displayed at all closely. Goldbrown might be a closor match, but honestly, whoever put that chart together is tripping.
Railroad Tie brown gives a Humbrol equivalent, not Vallejo. In the Vallejo line, good tie colors would be chocolate brown, leather brown, or German Fieldgray WWii (admittedly, this is a grayer color, but I think it looks very good).
I guess the moral of the story is that rather than trust someone else's color chart, obtain a set of swatches (most companies will send you a printed one, sometimes for a nominal charge) for the line you prefer and match your own.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
CTValleyRR guess the moral of the story is that rather than trust someone else's color chart, obtain a set of swatches (most companies will send you a printed one, sometimes for a nominal charge) for the line you prefer and match your own.
Good point. I was just going off something that appeared in a previous post sometime ago. Where do you purchase Vallejo paint? My LHS has no intention of stocking it nor are they going to stock any of the basic railroad colors added to Model Masters line (don't get me started). Basically if they haven't stocked it in the past, they are not going to stock it in the future. That includes all lines of paint so I am scrambling a little to find sources for what I need.
HaroldA,
Vallejo paint supplier:
http://www.micromark.com/vallejo-paints.html
Take Care!
Frank
zstripe HaroldA, Vallejo paint supplier: http://www.micromark.com/vallejo-paints.html Take Care! Frank
Ordinarily, I'm a big fan of Micromark, but not in this case. They stock some weathering powders and about a dozen shades in the Model Air Line, but that's it.
I have found the best price on line to be Scale Hobbyist (www.scalehobbyist.com). They sell them at about 75% of MSRP and carry the full line, including media, washes, powders, thinners, varnishes and the full range of shades in the Model Color, Model Air, Game Color, and Panzer Aces lines. One of my LHS's carries them too (Time Machine Hobbies in Manchester, CT).
You can download a pdf of their FAQ and a full color chart at their website (www.acrylicosvallejo.com), or if you're feeling lazy, pm me with an e-mail and I'll send it to you. It's about 7MB worth.
I use Craft paint from Walmart Apple Barrel Black, Burnt Umber, and Nutmeg. Black base on everything, then Nutmeg on the sides of the rails and the tie plates, Burnt Umber on some of the ties.
CTValleyRROrdinarily, I'm a big fan of Micromark, but not in this case. They stock some weathering powders and about a dozen shades in the Model Air Line, but that's it.
Frank:
Check out MicroMark's Microlux line of paints. They are custom produced by Acylicos Vallejo.
Joe
JoeinPA CTValleyRR Ordinarily, I'm a big fan of Micromark, but not in this case. They stock some weathering powders and about a dozen shades in the Model Air Line, but that's it. Frank: Check out MicroMark's Microlux line of paints. They are custom produced by Acylicos Vallejo. Joe
CTValleyRR Ordinarily, I'm a big fan of Micromark, but not in this case. They stock some weathering powders and about a dozen shades in the Model Air Line, but that's it.
Again, it's only about a dozen colors, although they include both a rail brown and a railroad tie brown. These paints are the equivalent of the Model Air line. They can be brush painted, but are a little thin for optimal brushwork.
It's a question of whether you just waint the railroad tie brown, or you want a line of paints to replace Polly Scale.
I see your point. A wider selection of colors would be nice.