I always scratch build all my fencing. I do both O and HO scale fences. I just completed a Walthers Cornerstone building kit--chicken coops and sheds and painted everything by hand. Came out really nice. I even got a couple of green tractors that look kinda like John Deere tractors. Wife liked them so much I had to give her one of them. I think they were from Walthers too. Since I broke off all the stirrups on my Tichy flatcar build trying to install the bronze phosphor grab irons, I made stirrups out of staple from the office stapler and they look even better than the plastic ones I broke. For corrugated culverts I use drinking straws that are bendable--just paint them grey or a metallic color. I cut the bendable part off and save the other part of the straw for pipes in both O & HO scale. Oh no. All your cows have croaked and are laying on their sides. I scratch build gates and use split rail and 3 rail fences I build out of balsa wood. My mother was from Illinois, I think she lived in Covelle a little town outside of Danvers. My aunt and uncle, her brother used to live in Danvers. They're all gone now. Cheers from eastern TN
After much swearing and cussing I just built a Tichy Train Group flatcar. Don't follow the instructions to the letter and put the stirrups on LAST. I ended up breaking every one off trying to get the bronze/phosphorus wire grabs on--threw the plastic ones in the trash as it came with both. Got the car finished and added stirrups I made from staples and got her painted. I ended up painting each board on the deck a different color brown--mix the paint as I went along. After the last black wash (acrylic paint & alcohol) it came out great, not a single board the same color. When building kits I find that I end up spending as much time chasing parts across the floor as time spent building the model. Lol. I use communion cups for mixing up my paints. They're really small and I have a box full. If you wash them out you can reuse them. You should have painted each board on those flat cars a different color of brown and dry brushed some grey to make 'em look old. At least that's what I do. I've been painting models for at least 40 years. I'm now 73 and still play with trains. Got started in the early 80's. If you want a wood grain, use a hack saw blade or razor saw and scrape across with the wood and it will add wood grain but do it before you lay down the paint. I even add extra lines and scrapes with my A-proxo knife to the deck to mimic wear to the deck. I don't use an X-acto knife because I'm not exact, only approximate. I would never thought that yellow under brown would look that good. Thanks for the tip. I use women's eye make up as weathering powder which sticks much better than weathering powders. I also make my own rust powder from 0000 steel wool in a quart jar of vinegar. Put it in the window for a couple of weeks and wait for it to mostly dissolve and rust, then pour mixture into a flat pan (I use my old 14X11 stainless photo processing trays--a baking dish will also work) and wait for it to completely dry. Then I use a single edge razor blade to pulverize it into a powder and store it in little snuff tins. I used to dip so I have plenty. Then use it as you would any weathering powder. It looks real 'cause it is real rust. Cheers from an old modeler in eastern TN
Was that a hot wheels gray pickup that you had their where the gate was ? Most of my vehicles are either h o or Turbo wheels as my ho budget can't afford the ho stuff. A little oversized but hey!!! It's my railroad.good video thanks!!!
Thanks for the interest. That is an Atlas pick up truck. Most Hot Wheels are too big. Matchbox has some better vehicles. I look for scale vehicles at train shows I go to.
It's an excellent technique and you explain it well. The result does look like wood -- especially with the Pan Pastels -- but it's the wrong sort of wood. Your decks look more like varnished mahogany, which is a bit expensive for railroad use. 😉 Weathered wood is primarily grey -- a fairly pale grey in dry areas, and a darker grey in wetter areas.
Looks good SR, add some black powder to the car Deck and in a couple of spots some darker black powder spots to look like dried oil spots makes them look a lot better, or you can add some liquid oil stain,s too , looks good my friend, I'll try that method to , good ,
I’m sure there are other if you Google it or search on Amazon. This is pretty close to mine. Make sure you get all the accessories you want. Some may not come with all I got. www.micromark.com/Cordless-Airbrush-Kit-for-Fine-Detail
That’s great. I bought one but have only played with it so far. I spend 1/3 of my life in hotels so, just as Roger suggested, it is my plan to bring it with me.
I found a processor/blender at a rummage sale I use for leaves in the fall, I take leaves, break off the stems and fill the blender half full of leaves a cup of water and a squirt of light green acrylic paint and let it do it's thing then I drain the goop thru a cheap strainer and dry the stuff on an old baking pan in the oven for about a half hour then when I make trees I sprinkle that on!!! Nice to see you back Roger!!! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
That is a neat idea. I’ll have to try that. One of our crews was seal coating a street and using slag. It looked like it would make great ballast if dived to the right size. Unfortunately when I stuck a meter in it like my brother suggested it passed current. Ok but keep it away from the track.
Another option, especially if you don't have room to store an extra blender, is to buy a replacement jar and top for it. Many have parts available for a lot less than the cost of the whole thing.
Love the videos Roger, and the air conditioners. I think my Illinois Terminal set in the 90's (yes, in my "history" the IT never went bankrupt, and rather through mergers and acquisitions, between 1980 and 1990, became a Class 1 railroad), should put a couple of those on their caboose. Great idea...again.
Nice video. I know rule #1, it's your layout. But I'm curious to why you have shown rolling stock and features such as modern roof top AC on cabooses, all of which are things after 2000s being you stated you model the 80s. Like your thoughts and ways for that industry.
Thanks. I do have some anomalies but he AGW leads the industry in innovation. The AC on the cabooses are because they are mobile offices. The local crews use them instead of a fixed office building which we would have to pay property taxes on.
Great ideas! I use a wet palette for painting figures. Never thought to use one for decals. I also use a piece of packing foam with a hole to hold my bottle of MEK. I liked and subbed.
Big difference. I do a similar thing with a microbrush and acrylic paint. Before they dry, I stipple on Pan Pastels. I dry brush my trucks with oil paint, then Pan Pastels, different shade. I also clip the trip pin off the couplers, since I don't do magnetic coupling. And paint the couplers. It's all in the details, right? I've been posting more videos lately on RU-vid (search for Bill Mourey) but haven't done any how-to stuff yet. Might have to give it a try. Thanks!
Important to note, when using an airbrush for spraying acrylic paint, brushed on oils, or weathering powders. They dry slowly and can be removed if you mess up. Rule of thumb, clear coat every layer, so if your next layer isnt right, just remove it with either water or alcohol. Its not hard at all.
I'd like to know how you design the graphics/decals for your Atlantic & Great Western. I'm working towards a proto-freelance road myself, and that's one of my biggest stumbling blocks right now.
I looked at lots of older logos. The DW&P was the inspiration for the big AGW logo with the stripe on it. As far as other logos, I’d look at what you ship, animals in the area you serve and possibly College mascots. Bigger lettering is important especially in stalker scale so others can read the lettering.
Very interesting technique and great results, I will definitely give it a try. One question, during your summary you mentioned that you did a flat coat but didn't film it and you inferred it was right after the black stain but before the Pan Pastels. I've never used Pan Pastels but intend o order the same weathering selection from them--very impressive. Is there a reason you didn't do the flat coat after the pastels to seal everything in? Thanks, a great instructional video and I look forward to more!
Thanks for watching. I buy the strip from Plastruct and don’t have to cut them. They come in different material and colors. 1, 1/4 is the one i use. www.plastruct.com/collections/strip-amp-rod-2/products/90361-stsc-1
