Weathering tracks

[keithp1707821843]

Hi

Being new to this hobby I have a few things I am still getting my head around. The latest is having clean tracks. And that leads me to the question about weathering. I would like to have some more realistic tracks and want to add some colour, but if I do that how do I make sure the track is still 'clean' and the trains will still get power.

Keith

[SteveM6]

Quite simple really.

Lay all the track in its final position, complete the wiring and test it all thoroughly. Once you know that everything works faultlessly you can start with the ballasting and weathering.

My usual approach is to put small pieces of masking tape between the contact patches of the pints, then spray the whole lot with Humbrol no. 29. When dry, clean all the rail tops with a track rubber and Hoover up any dust.

Now do all the ballasting, using dry ballast and add dilute PVA to fix it in place and clean the track with the rubber again when dry.

Test everything again.

Finally add further weathering with rust, grime etc - it can be done with a brush but I prefer an airbrush which blends things in better.

Clean with the track rubber again.

[Rog RJ]

Apply weathering to the sleepers, ballast and sides of the rails only.  If the rail tops get weathered accidentally, which they probably will do, clean them thoroughly.

[walkingthedog]

I just paint the sides of the rails using a small brush. I only paint  the sides you can see. I like most people don't have any spraying equipment..................yet. It only takes a short time. Clean  the tops of the rails to remove any paint. Be extra careful around points. 

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[96RAF]

By the time I get round to doing scenery the rails will have weathered naturally.

[keithp1707821843]

Ok thanks to you all.

The main thing I have gathered now - from this post and others - is you dont rush this! I have myng final idea for my first layout - a nice simple siding, I was going to lay the track and secure with pins at the same time, then ballast and then add some paint for weathering. But perhaps I sould put the track on make sure the train runs correctly then pin, check again, and again.

Anyhow I am sure I will have another question soon.

Keith

[LCDR]

If you 'artistic' you can add quite a bit of atmosphere by careful weathering.

On the open stretches of railway track tends to stay fairly clean. The rails and other iron or steel fittings will go rusty and as WTD and others have already said the sides of the rails can be painted 'Track colour'. Wooden sleepers which start their lives as black or brown creosoted colour, will gradually bleach to a grey colour with age. Ballast usually remains clean and retains the colour it had when laid. In dry weather the dust caused by the gradual degradation of the ballast coats the track with a pale grey, lightening everything.

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Concrete sleepers remain concrete colour.

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Where trains apply their brakes the friction produces a fine dust of hot iron from the brake shoes and wheel treads. this is especially noticable on electrified lines, and this coats everything adjacent to the railway with an all over brown stain.

 

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Note everything between the platform faces is dark brown. This station is on a falling gradient of 1 in 75, and trains had to brake hard.

 

Where locomotives stand for long periods they leak oil, and this drips over the track. At the same time locomotives may use sand to help them start, and this contaminates the ballast and the sand which gets soaked in the oil and turns into a shiney black gunge.

 

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Ballast can be different colours too, mostly it is grey, but it can have a slight hue, such as pink or green, which will be influenced by the quarry where it waas obtained. Branch lines and light railways often ballasted the line in ash, which was obtained from the locomotives. Sidings and goods yards were nearly always ballasted with ash. This tended to be much smoother grains unlike the more granular granite or limestone used on main lines.

 

[Lyd 85B]

On a recent Peco scenery course, we were given disposable micro brushes (used for applying makeup, apparently) to paint the sides of OO rails. They are more controllable than paint brushes and cover very quickly without getting paint on the rail top. They work well but wear out quite quickly. You can buy 100 for a little over £2, including postage, on a well-known auction site.  

[2e0dtoeric]

Or use a brown acrylic paint pen. Add random black bits, because 'mature' rust goes black.

[keithp1707821843]

Ok cheers. I do paint (Acrylic) so can use my own paints. I have quite a few brushes - inclduing some fine which will be ok.

Keith