Man of many photo's has struck.
Of course check photo's of any prototype you are following if that matters. Mine would be Western Colorado and eastern Utah D&RGW track in the late 1970's and I have a number of color books to reference and other sources.
wjstix I don't use bendy-track so I don't have those problems, although I suppose if you painted flextrack and then bent it on a curve, there could be unpainted areas where the spikes hold the track in place.
I don't use bendy-track so I don't have those problems, although I suppose if you painted flextrack and then bent it on a curve, there could be unpainted areas where the spikes hold the track in place.
I would guess the majority do use bendy track (queue Jason Schron of Rapido - what he named his short lived line of flex track).
Indeed, if you paint flex and bend it, you'll see shiney metal showing through. like Onewolf did, I layed my track first and then painted it.
So logically, lay first, then paint.
Doughless The only comment I'll make is that spray painting anything, whether from a can or airbrush, tends to produce a uniform look to it. I would feel compelled to go back through the layout and drybrush various shades ...
The only comment I'll make is that spray painting anything, whether from a can or airbrush, tends to produce a uniform look to it.
I would feel compelled to go back through the layout and drybrush various shades ...
Of course, but it kind of goes without saying - I don't think anyone is suggesting to only mass spray and call it finished.
Rather it's a HUGE time saver over having to hand paint all the rail and ties with a brush; no thanks. I'm all for effective time savers. To be sure, paint first, then weather.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Some pictures of (mostly) track...
Wayne
I don't use bendy-track so I don't have those problems, although I suppose if you painted flextrack and then bent it on a curve, there could be unpainted areas where the spikes hold the track in place. Of course, while on the workbench, you could paint the rails and then slide the rail a little one way or the other and then paint the rail again. Then the entire rail would be painted.
Key point I was making was, having lived for 40+ years across the street from a rail line, in my experience the steel rails aren't the same color as the wood ties, and the ties aren't all the same color as each other.
Great stuff everyone! I bought a quart of flat brown (hazelnut I think) from HD and started painting the ties and sides of the track. It went pretty fast. For variety, plan to put down some raw sienna, black, or gray at different spots of the ties. The paint in their "oops" area was mainly deck stain. That's too thick for use on my layout.
I found that dragging my latex glove over the tops of the rail removes the paint.
I really like the color of the Camo on the rails. I used Model Masters rust on my last layout and it looked too bright when compared to the Camo. I think that I'll give it a try when the time comes. I'm wondering how the color would look with a light dusting of rust powder just to lighten it up a bit.
Russ
Modeling the early '50s Erie in Paterson, NJ. Here's the link to my railroad postcard collection: https://railroadpostcards.blogspot.com/
Onewolf One other thing I forgot to add regarding the Rustoleum Camo spray paint is that it will melt the Owens Foamular foam panels, even if the foam has a coat of latex paint on it. It doesn't melt enough to be a problem, but it should not be noticeable at all after ballast/scenery/ground cover. And this is what my track looks like after spraying/cleaning with the Rustoleum brown Camo. This track is on homasote so there's no foam melting....
One other thing I forgot to add regarding the Rustoleum Camo spray paint is that it will melt the Owens Foamular foam panels, even if the foam has a coat of latex paint on it. It doesn't melt enough to be a problem, but it should not be noticeable at all after ballast/scenery/ground cover.
And this is what my track looks like after spraying/cleaning with the Rustoleum brown Camo. This track is on homasote so there's no foam melting....
That looks great. The only comment I'll make is that spray painting anything, whether from a can or airbrush, tends to produce a uniform look to it. (Its why I don't particularly care for the look of equipment or buildings when they are weathered with strictly an airbrush.)
I would feel compelled to go back through the layout and drybrush various shades of brown, black, or gray through the middle of the ties for example, giving them a different tone than the rails and part of the ties near the rails. I guess this is one reason why I have always defaulted to just using a chisel brush in the beginning and skipping the spaying all together. I would use a brush anyway as a second step to get some variation to the color.
I'm just picking a nit here on what I would probaby end up doing as a matter of personal preference. I think your track looks very good as is and will look even better when ballasted.
- Douglas
Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.
- Photo album of layout construction -
DoughlessFor the guys who use rattle can sprays, how do you remove the paint from the top of the rails no nicely?
As Jim noted earlier, I adopted the method recommended by MR author Pelle Soeborg - I drag a utility knife blade backward across the rail heads. It goes very quickly, and since the blade isn't being pushed, there's no danger of damaging the rail. The process is much faster than using an abrasive block, some type of liquid, or masking. I've cleaned hundreds of feet of rail this way. It really does work.
Rob Spangler
DoughlessPainting the rails before installation would seem to present some issues with flex track, but I have never done it that way before
Yes I found using CRAFT PAINT at the work bench caused me problems. Finer pigmented paints such as used on models might not, but I hsve never tried.
Dave
Painting the rails before installation would seem to present some issues with flex track, but I have never done it that way before.
I'm considering using thin pinstriping tape found in automotive supply stores to act as a masking source for the top of the rails. Taping the rails then pulling it off might be the simplest and fastest way.
I'd think I could use a section of tape two or three times as long as it stays in place on the rails.
Welcome back Onewolf. Long time no see.
As mentioned, I painted my rails using Pollyscale paint and a brush. After doing about 15' or perhaps a turnout, the paint would be dry-to-the-touch, and easy to wipe off with a dry rag. Once cured, though, it's very durable.Even though my layout is mostly visible only from the aisle, I often take photos with the camera sitting on the layout, and pointed towards the aisle. That means that the normally unseen sides of the rails need to be painted, too.
For this area, almost 40" deep and on the upper level of the layout...
...I used a stepladder to climb up onto the layout, and did the painting whilst laying down.
In prepainting the track, aren't their unpainted spots that are uncovered when you bend the track?
I tried using Testors pens and they leave unpainted areas next to those things that hold the rail.
I also tried putting oil on top the rail so paint wouldn't stick: tedious, and if you use too much in runs into the web of the rail.
With one of my modules, I took it outside and used rattle can. Inside I use an airbrush. I don't find removing the paint hard. If I use a bright boy, I follow it up with 600 grit sandpaper.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
wjstix I prefer to paint at the workbench, before installing the track on the layout. I apply Neolube (from MicroMark catalog) to the rails with a small flat brush. Neolube dries to a flat, dark gray finish. When dry, I use a BrightBoy to clean the tops of the rails. The track I use has black ties. I leave about half the ties black, and brush randomly paint the rest different shades of brown / gray with acrylic paint like Vallejo paint. Once on the layout and completely in place, I add some weathering (my layout is set in winter, so it's a dusting of white weathering powder) to blend the tie colors together a bit, but leaving enough color visible so the ties don't all look the same. (That's the theory anyway.) http://cs.trains.com/mrr/m/mrr-layouts/2290019.aspx
I prefer to paint at the workbench, before installing the track on the layout. I apply Neolube (from MicroMark catalog) to the rails with a small flat brush. Neolube dries to a flat, dark gray finish. When dry, I use a BrightBoy to clean the tops of the rails.
The track I use has black ties. I leave about half the ties black, and brush randomly paint the rest different shades of brown / gray with acrylic paint like Vallejo paint. Once on the layout and completely in place, I add some weathering (my layout is set in winter, so it's a dusting of white weathering powder) to blend the tie colors together a bit, but leaving enough color visible so the ties don't all look the same. (That's the theory anyway.)
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/m/mrr-layouts/2290019.aspx
Doesn't painting the track before installation make it too stiff to produce smooth flowing curves when installed? I know my track is stiff as a board after painting.
What about using flat latex paint for the track/ties?
For the top of the tracks, before the paint dries, you prob also can use a rag dipped in paint remover. I'd I've read some apply soap to the top before painting. Doing that apparently makes the paint come of easily.
I did the same for cleaning off the rails, a new blade and the masonite. I got to thinking, if the masonite worked good on the variety of home made track cleaning cars, the rough side world be good for cleaning off the paint.
Welcome back, Onewolf.
Mike.
My You Tube
I used Rustoleum camo dark brown. I first tried using a combination of brown and then rust red but I couldn't get a consistent 'rust' effect so I switched to just camo brown. I tried a variety of things to get the paint off the top of the rail but I found the new razor blade while still damp worked best. After drying completely I would come back over using the 'rough' side of 1.5"x3" blocks of masonite for additional cleanup. I did about 800ft of track using this method. It was long and tedious because I would spray for 10-20 minutes, clean the top rail, and then let the room air out for a couple of hours.
.
I did not use a rattle can, but to remove paint from the top of the rails I have always used a FRESH SHARP single edge razor blade help perpindicular to the rail top. Use minimal pressure. If the paint is fully cured, it will come right off in a single piece with no damage to the rail.
If you press down, you will damage the rail. The blade must be perfect and the paint must be 100% fully cured.
This takes no time.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I now use an airbrush and spray camo brown on the works. I scrape the paint off the tops of the rails with my thumbnail. I use a rusty rails roller to apply rust randomly along the rails, tie plates etc. I also use it to roll random greys and other colours along the ties.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Doughless,
It was Rob Spangler who said he dragged a utility knife blade across the top of the rails (box cutter blade).
I tried it and it worked great. Scaped the dried paint clean off for the most part and left the paint on the sides completely intact. I was pleasantly surprised at how well and easy it worked. No worries about paint coming off the sides of the rail, no touching up needed.
I just held the blade across both rails and pulled it along to scrape the paint clean off; might have had to go back over a couple spots a second time.
davidmurray kasskaboose Would using craft paint work for painting the track? Craft or even latex paint is far safer to use indoors than spray paint. Given the challenge of removing paint from the top of the rails, is the effort with the trouble Yes I use craft paint to do the sides of rails, it is time consuming, but very little gets on the ties. I then randomly paint a few ties with various shades of faded black/grey to simulate weathering. Do not paint with craft paint before laying track. Dave
kasskaboose Would using craft paint work for painting the track? Craft or even latex paint is far safer to use indoors than spray paint. Given the challenge of removing paint from the top of the rails, is the effort with the trouble
Yes I use craft paint to do the sides of rails, it is time consuming, but very little gets on the ties.
I then randomly paint a few ties with various shades of faded black/grey to simulate weathering.
Do not paint with craft paint before laying track.
I did not find craft painting that time consuming and if some of the brown gets on the ties thats ok since that happens on the prototype. Only thing is you might need than one coat to get the desired effect.
Joe Staten Island West
kasskabooseWould using craft paint work for painting the track? Craft or even latex paint is far safer to use indoors than spray paint. Given the challenge of removing paint from the top of the rails, is the effort with the trouble
Would using craft paint work for painting the track? Craft or even latex paint is far safer to use indoors than spray paint. Given the challenge of removing paint from the top of the rails, is the effort with the trouble?
Ok. It seems that the best way to remove paint from the tops of rails is to use a hard-ish block of material and wipe when the paint is wet.
Wonder what material works best.
I have tried before to let the paint dry a bit then use an old credit card to scrape off, but my bad timing of when to scrape made me work harder than I thought I should be.
peahrensI also used a Rustoleum camo brown. I used a small 1x2 block to wipe the rail tops, before it dried too much.
Hi,
I like to lay down a base coat of the Rustoleum Camo Earth Brown making sure the rail sides are covered. Then from directly above so that I try to avoid getting any on the rail-sides, I lightly mist gray and just a little red primer to give a little variation to the color and the gray helps make a sun-faded look to some of the ties.
Track_paint by Edmund, on Flickr
Like Paul, I lightly wipe the tops of the rails as soon as possible after painting. I found that Naptha (Zippo lighter fluid) available in quart cans from hardware, paint or big-box stores, works very well with little fumes.
Naptha_clean by Edmund, on Flickr
The small block there is a hard felt pad just like the old-school chalk board erasers. I'm not sure where you could find something like this, maybe a craft store? It works perfectly to hold just a bit of naptha while wiping off the rail-top.
A small block of wood wrapped in a small square of cotton tee-shirt rag might work, too.
Here's the same scene after ballast:
Track_joint1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Later I'll add grease streaks using an airbrush and sometimes using a paint-pen (Testors) I'll highlight individual ties since some are replaced at random intervals and are newer than others.
IMG_7804 by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
DoughlessFor the guys who use rattle can sprays, how do you remove the paint from the top of the rails no nicely? Whenever I've tried that, it seems I spread the cloth hard enough to where it picks up paint off the sides of the rails too, which I don't want, so i have to go back with a brush and touch it up. If I go too softly, I end up spending a lot of time wiping the rails.
I also used a Rustoleum camo brown. I used a small 1x2 block to wipe the rail tops, before it dried too much. I may have dampened the wood just slightly with denatured alcohol, I forget. I imagine the wood might slightly wrap below the rounded railhead, enough to pretty much clean the wheel contact area without cleaning the side of the rail.
BTW, I was too heavy handed at some turnouts with the rattle can paint, which resulted in too much paint on the ties under the points movement section and some sticking points. Some hand movement and some solvent solved that but I should have been aware of the potential problem and been more careful.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
For the guys who use rattle can sprays, how do you remove the paint from the top of the rails no nicely?
Whenever I've tried that, it seems I spread the cloth hard enough to where it picks up paint off the sides of the rails too, which I don't want, so i have to go back with a brush and touch it up. If I go too softly, I end up spending a lot of time wiping the rails.
I've recently used Rustoleum Can paints, black and leather brown, mixed together on a pallett sometimes, as I move along painting the sides of the rails and the ties with a chisle brush. It seems to be a quicker overall process for me since I struggle so much removing the paint using the spray method.
On my last layout I used Rust-O-Leum from a can, a dark flat brown color.
I thinned it about 50% with mineral spirits and airbrushed it onto the rails. I did this outside before the track was installed.