How to weather a Rerailer

[NJVince]

Hi guys,

    I have a few rerailers on my layout.  They look stupid if I try to ballast them so I know weathering is probably the best.  What are some ways I can realistically weather rerailers? (HO scale) I used medium grand blend WS ballast for my track.  How can I make them fit in with the ballasted track?

   I know some judge if one uses rerailers. I have them and thats ok. 

 

Thank You,

NJ-Vince

[RR_Mel]

I have a pair of combination rerailer/uncouplers disguised as a road crossing on my double track mainline, it’s my primary location to put my stuff on the track so that I don’t have to stop and look for my glasses.

 

I also have two hidden rerailers on my main line inside my mountain where it’s difficult to access as a just incase.

 

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[NJVince]

Hi Mel,

   Beautiful layout photo and techniques for detailing cars.  I need to spend more time checking that out.  I totally am in agreement about needing glasses to help get the cars on.  Over 40 is rough!!  Even if that is considered taboo by veteran modelers, I don't really care.  Do you think more of a gray or brown would be good for weathering them?  They aren't part of crossings as I have 3 lines next to one another with all the rerailers at the same location for each track.  Just in one spot.

Thanks,

vince

[dknelson]

If they are the Atlas re railers I'd follow Atlas's lead and weather them to look like a planked grade crossing.  I suppose you could carefully file or shave off the wood plank detail and try to make it look like a gravel crossing with a very light application of small ballast.  

Dave Nelson 

[Graham Line]

Might try detailing one to look like the precast concrete crossings that are very common now. I wouldn't add any ballast or texture to one -- that could interfere with the rerailing capability.

[Lone Wolf and Santa Fe]

Most re-railers have details to look like grade crossings made from wood. Paint and weather the wood, adding oil, grease and rubber from cars and trucks plus the normal grime from trains.

I don’t have any on my layout because the ones I own are 18” curves and I removed them for wider radius curves. Sometimes I just use my grade crossings as re-railers. One day I might add one or two to the staging yard. They are a good thing to have. I've seen many people have them in their fiddle yards (staging yards) where they usually "fiddle" their rolling stock onto and off of the layout.

j.........

[selector]

I agree that they should be heavily weathered, but also somewhat distressed or worn-looking so that they aren't so obviously an inserted element painted up a bit.

I would paint them with burnt umber, maybe a bit of grey, and sprinkle a bit of plaster of Paris powder over the just-about-dried paint.  Wait until it is dry, and then carefully blow off or vacuum up the non-adhered powder.  If done right, the adhered powder will add a dusty dull look, but not be white because it will have been coated by the paint, or partially absorbed.  If it doesn't quite look right, you can always use an air brush to cover it lightly with more dilute paint.

[cedarwoodron]

It might be helpful to have some installed and weathered/ballast ed images of re-railers to serve as examples for the rest of us, who vicariously enjoy our fellow modelers efforts, then proceed to imitate them on our own pikes and layouts.

Cedarwoodron

[cowman]

Since they aren't being used as grade crossings, how about painting them with a textured paint, close to the color of your ballast.  The testure of the paint might be able to  hide some of the molded on texture.  A little extra ballast along the edges would hide them.

Just a thought.

Good luck,

Richard

[Anonymous]

NJVince

They aren't part of crossings as I have 3 lines next to one another with all the rerailers at the same location for each track.

So they are all 3 side by side?  That sounds perfect for a grade crossing (road crossing rail).

[NJVince]

Hi, the 3 lanes go from the outside in. So one side has no room for the other side of the crossing. But, I think I can use the 3 and have it look like a place to board ab engine or something that works railroad wise. But, the space between the each track I ballasted today. Should I just use a darker ballast and apply it to create a darker look to connect the 3 retailers? Great ideas, thank you for it.. Vince

[cedarwoodron]

Actually, Cow man is onto something with textured paint. I used some Rustoleum textured paint on a structure a while ago to simulate a sand stucco finish. Looking at it from another perspective, a brown or earth colored texture could be effective in helping a re-railer to blend in.

Cedarwoodron

 

[jjdamnit]

Hello all,

As these track pieces are modeled to replicate wood; as has been previously posted, I would follow that "theme" and weather them like wooden crossing(s).

If the track spacing to too close, I would cut down the adjacent sides and ballast the space(s) between the re-railers to replicate a multi-track crossing.

You could also fill the gaps with plaster or other similar senicing material, scribe lines to replicate the wooden planks, and then weather like wood.

Hope this helps.

[Medina1128]

Just dunk yer hand in some Bragdon weathering powders...