R. T. POTEET wrote:I model the 21st Century and all of my steam locomotives are weathered using Stealth paint; they're still there - you just can't see them. In fact, awhile back I forgot exactly on which track I had parked one of my lokes and one of my diesels collided with it. I hauled out the "Big Hook" which happens to also be weathered in Stealth paint and even to this day I can't tell whether I have the mess cleaned up or not; I have also lost track of my 'Big Hook"!
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
Just a quick thought....
It's often good to practice and learn a new technique before applying it to a good model. I would suggest getting at least one old, very cheap junker and practicing with it.
And, yes, the MR book is worthwile. There are other books too that may help. See what books are at your hobby shop if you can.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
I'm modelling the late '30s, and like my locos to look well-maintained, although not new. After they've been painted and lettered, I spray them with various clear coats: flat, semi-gloss, and gloss, as appropriate, then weather them. I don't apply any clear spray after the weathering though, as I want the original finish to show through. The smokebox and firebox are flat, the boiler and appliances semi-gloss, and the cab and tender an even shinier semi-gloss, with all of this showing through the weathering.
By the way, Ray, I got those frame extensions installed on the Athearn Mikes - not too visible once painted, but it looks a lot better than all the daylight that used to be visible there. Thanks for the idea.
Wayne
- Harry
Orsonroy has some very good advice.
All I can add is that I don't weather my steam locos with paint, I use the Bragdon self-adhesive chalks and either a very soft toothbrush, Q-tips or small brushes. And remember, a lot of the 'rolling junkyard' steamers that you might see, represent steam locomotives that were at the END of their service, when the railroads were desperate to get the last mileage that they could before converting running them off to the scrap-yard in their rush to convert to diesel. If you're modeling steam during the 'glory' days, the railroads were generally pretty good housekeepers, and the steam locos were their 'advertisment.' That doesn't mean that 'natural' weathering wouldn't occur, simply because of the nature of the beast, but it was generally kept to a minimum by most railroad shops. If you're modeling, say, the early to mid-fifties, then yes, that steamer probably would not look FAR more weathered than it might have ten or fifteen years before when it was the primary mover for the particular railroad you're modeling and that railroad kept their steamers in better cosmetic condition. Study the type of terrain your loco ran through, it'll help you as far as the weathering, because steam locos (and even contemporary diesels) picked up dust from that terrain that collected on them.
But frankly, if you're modeling mostly steam and your locos look like rolling junkyards, the message you're sending is that your railroad doesn't give a darn. And that happened VERY rarely until the major U.S. railroads started converting wholeheartedly to diesel.
IMO, light weathering makes a locomotive look like it's really DOING something. Heavy weathering makes me think that it's just a trip or two away from the scrap line.
It's your decision.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Don't disassemble the engine when weathering. There's no real point, and the weathering will blend together better if you leave the engine as a single unit.
Don't worry about paint "clogging" anything. If you're careful, do things properly, and clean up promptly, it won't be an issue.
Model Railroder has a pretty decent book on working with and weathering steam models:
http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/12221.html
If you're a newbie to steam, the book is pretty much a must have. One caveat though: DO NOT pay any attention to how the author weathers his engines, besides the core techniques. Real steam doesn't look much like what he accomplishes with his methods. Instead, start looking at color photos of real in-service engines to see how they should REALLY look.
As an example, you'll never be able to come close to this with his techniques or philosophy:
Notice that the front of the engine is still shiny black, while the back is almost cream colored. Notice too the polka-dot effect of splattered mud on the front of the engine. "Conventional wisdom" would say that the front of the engine hasn't been weathered properly, and that the splattering MUST be the result of bad pressure from the airbrush!
Ray Breyer
Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943