Jon Gwinnett Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 The second group build subject is Covered Hoppers. One of my personal favourites - probably because I like regional granger roads, although the small New York based load-out that Brian Moore is modelling, and that featured in Model Railroader back in 1999 has a lot to answer for! As its a favourite, I have more covered hoppers in the loft than just about any other car type, so rather than being scientific I just grabbed the first three boxes I came across. Two are grain cars, one a shorter hopper probably in cement or sand service. So here goes: First up we have FCTX #1072, belonging to Farmers Commodities Transportation I haven't found a photo of this particular car yet, but here's a very close relative: http://www.railcarph...p?PhotoID=52852 I think this may be a hard weathering to reproduce - the rust(?) is very subtly shaded. Also, fitting Kadee couplers will be a bind - these Athearn Genesis cars having coupler cut bars running to the underside of the draft gear box, which may be hard to remove without damage. We'll see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 My second subject will be another grain car - based on this: I think there may be a few cars still running with the MKT sign writ large, but I'm planning to do something more like one of these: http://www.yardoffice.com/frtcarptos/2010/03/CEFX019163.jpg http://www.yardoffice.com/frtcarptos/2006/10/CEFX019151.jpg http://www.yardoffice.com/frtcarptos/2010/03/RVPR001238.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 And my final entrant will be this: Again, I haven't yet found a photo of his particular car, but this is very close: http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=42837 This one will need more work on the detailing I think - possibly Plano roof boards for starters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Mmmmmmm... covered hoppers.... :) Here's two I did earlier... just 'fantasy' (i.e. not based on actual cars) weathering jobs on RTR O Scale models. Firstly a total rust-bucket; lettering lightly worn with very fine wet'n'dry paper, mostly acrylic washes, streaks and patches, some airbrushing and rusty wheels... Second a rather subtle "not quite new" look - just a light 'fading' wash, with some light streaks, and rusty wheels... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 I especially like that second one F-Unit. I've realized that the NYC car I've linked to is a Pullman Standard car, and the Walthers model is a Trinity. May have to rethink this one a bit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I've got a fairly rusted example for my CovHop too. UP 14058. Base model is an Accurail Covered hopper. Base model: This is UP14058 http://www.railcarph...p?PhotoID=40099 http://octrainguy.rr...aspx?id=1264333 I'll be stripping the factory decals as best as possible but will probably respray the base colour and then add microscale UP decals. Then spend most of the time getting that weathering right, graffiti I'll give it a go. 36" wheels need fitting as Accurail weren't accurate with supplying 33"s! Replacement walkways and coupler platforms from Plano http://www.planomode...r_scq.html#4600 Can anyone explain the differences between the Apex and Morton and the 2 Gypsum patterns that Plano offer for their walkways? Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Hiya Dave, this describes the patterns - basically rectangular, round or diamond holes: http://www.planomodelproducts.com/hodetail.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Thanks Martyn, I've been looking through that Plano website for ages now and not spotted that reference before, typical! So thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 No probs, I only found it because I knew it was there somewhere - it would be useful if he had an FAQ on the site with a little pic of each really! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Agreed, there are some product photos but not for every item. Shame really, as they do have some really good items. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
long island jack Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Like this idea a lot,i hope to learn different techniques bye following this thread Here's a few covered hoppers i've done, all dry brushed with acrylic's then sealed with a mist of hairspray, then a light dusting of groud pastels,then another mist of hairspray,still have wheels to do. yo've seen this before on helm.,thought i'd over done the rust but got a lot of nice remarks at kendal exhibition next few photo's are all atlas ps2's,no added detail,just weathered next one to start is an accurail acf covered hopper Ray from deepest west cumbria Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Okay, here's a question... how well do you guys get on with weathering the ends of Covered Hoppers, with all that ladder and bracing in the way..?? If you look carefully at my first pic, the "rust bucket" hopper, the eagle-eyed will notice that the ends - what there is visible of them - are much cleaner than the side. This was because I found it so tricky to get decent access to the ends - and that's in O Scale !! How do you HO chaps do it..?!?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Okay, here's a question... how well do you guys get on with weathering the ends of Covered Hoppers, with all that ladder and bracing in the way..?? If you look carefully at my first pic, the "rust bucket" hopper, the eagle-eyed will notice that the ends - what there is visible of them - are much cleaner than the side. This was because I found it so tricky to get decent access to the ends - and that's in O Scale !! How do you HO chaps do it..?!?! Although I've not tried it yet, its definitely on my to do list. I found this technique on The rustbucket forum http://theweatheringshop.com/home.html (You need to register to get into the forum) But the technique involves using a dremel drill with rotary disc held underneath a hopper roughly in the wheel wells and then you bring a piece of card with a little paint up to the spinning disc which should with a little practice replicate a wheel spray pattern. As the poster uses photobucket here's a link to a couple of photos http://i545.photobucket.com/albums/hh368/RunningExtra/WheelSpray3.jpg Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Clever, I guess you'd need to get the consistency of paint right so that it didn't just look blobby and spattery? On some cars you can partly dis-assemble them to get behind the framework (look at Tony Sissons' thread here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/51146-mkt423-prototypically-weathered/ and he suggests dismantling even fine RTR ones to do this) - how hard this is to do depends on a few things, something like a car from Athearn 'blue box' heritage you should be able to basically unclip the chassis from the body and get straight into it. I did an Atlas Coalveyor recently (not a covered hopper, but it does have a similar end framework) and I found on that one you could just pop-out the plastic pegs holding the end frame on, weather in behind it and then re-assemble. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
warbonnetuk Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I must start trying to use other methods of weathering than enamel paints and white spirit, but I still enjoy the fumes!! Ian Seen tutorials on the web suggesting thinning the oils I use with Microset - you get a nice kick of that stuff Dan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2012 Might be worth a try!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine coast Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I have found a couple of Maine Central ACF 70 ton 2 bay hopper photos to work from for my collection of Bowser hoppers........ http://www.rr-fallen.../mec2442agd.jpg http://www.rr-fallen.../mec2490akg.jpg and the Bowser hoppers... This one has round hatches ..so might not be a Bowser... these have all had a bit of basic (not very good ) weathering ...done by me a few years ago ...so time for an upgrade ... Regards Trevor ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2012 I have a number of older covered hoppers with moulded steps. Some of these hoppers I have done a lot of work on to upgrade them but the steps are the one item I haven't replaced. In order to make them look a bit finer I take a scalpel blade to the top inner bit and scraped it to an angle. With a bit of weathering on the resultant bare plastic, it makes them look thinner when viewed from above and the steps look more uniform than replacing with wire.. need to be careful not to scrape too much plastic off though. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Like this idea a lot,i hope to learn different techniques bye following this thread Here's a few covered hoppers i've done, all dry brushed with acrylic's then sealed with a mist of hairspray, then a light dusting of groud pastels,then another mist of hairspray,still have wheels to do. yo've seen this before on helm.,thought i'd over done the rust but got a lot of nice remarks at kendal exhibition next few photo's are all atlas ps2's,no added detail,just weathered next one to start is an accurail acf covered hopper Ray from deepest west cumbria Those PS2s look really good Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I've got three of these boxes below, with unmade kits inside...[70 ton ACF covered hopper, undec]......a decade or so ago I had this idea, see........then I got a divorce! Now, I don't know whether to make them up and contribute.....or pass them on? I suspect there are now RTR equivalents which are far superior to these ECW kits [with their bright yellow plastic hopper floors] I also never got past the 1970's timegate.....I sit in a bit of a time warp really...suggestions? [bTW, the felt-tipped-out price markers probably didn't help regarding he divorce] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
warbonnetuk Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Working on a couple of covered hoppers to (hopefully) run on the layout at Eurotrack next weekend. First up is an Exactrail UP/MKT Evans car. Although I managed to find a photo of the prototype car it's not the best so the wethering will be a little more of an approximation than I'd like!! V little to do detail wise apart from some coupler bars and changing the couplers First step on the weathering was airbrushing a wash of 5% earth, 5% light grey, 40% white Vallejo Air acrylic with 50% distilled water to fade the paint a little. Next has been an initial wash of a mix of Black & Burnt Umber water mixable oils. My aim is to match the dirt streaks by applying mutilple layers to match the prototype as much as poss. As usual any comments / suggestions Cheers Dan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
highpeak Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I've got three of these boxes below, with unmade kits inside...[70 ton ACF covered hopper, undec]......a decade or so ago I had this idea, see........then I got a divorce! Now, I don't know whether to make them up and contribute.....or pass them on? I suspect there are now RTR equivalents which are far superior to these ECW kits [with their bright yellow plastic hopper floors] I also never got past the 1970's timegate.....I sit in a bit of a time warp really...suggestions? [bTW, the felt-tipped-out price markers probably didn't help regarding he divorce] I have a few of those in varying stages of construction. When the kit first came out, it was quite well regarded because at the time there weren't too many alternatives. Roundhouse made a Pullman Standard hopper that could be modified to a rough approximation of an AC&F car, but the E&B Valley (as I think it originally was) kit was not really much more expensive and a better bet. Fast forward and there is now an Intermountain kit/R-T-R option that is a much better model and not that much more expensive (at least in kit form) by the time you have added the cost of etched running board etc to the older kit. On the other hand.... I have a number of Athearn 34' offset-side twin hoppers that I am slowly improving, and a couple of the Roundhouse PS hoppers that are being converted to the somewhat similar Bethlehem Steel cars that MEC bought. There are better examples of the offset-side hoppers these days, but at greater cost. I work on them in fits and starts, it's pretty tedious work really. As the actress said to the bishop, it all depends on how much you enjoy fiddling around with older models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 thanks..I guess it doesn't pay to procrastinate.......too much? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
highpeak Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Trevor, the MEC 2483 car looks like the MDC Roundhouse kit, a Pullman Standard car. The condition of the covered hopper fleet by the late 70s was quite variable. Some cars were still fairly clean, others were a bit grubby. Here's a couple of PS cars, hope this helps. The AC&F cars weren't much different. There was a considerable variation in lettering, the cars you have are both pretty accurate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
warbonnetuk Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Evening all Well some progress over the weekend on MKT/UP 4129. Firstly the red stripes on the UP logo were distressed using an combo of a sanding stick and slightly thinned Vallejo white acrylic. Following that the rest of the sides, both ends and the roof and hatches were given a wash of the black / burnt umber wash. As before once applied the majority of the wash was wiped off with either a cotton bud or kitchen towel. For the ends I used a combo of a No1 brush and a couple of small artist flat nylon that would fit on the gaps between stanchions / steps. Using the oils allows you to take your time and the paint can be re-activated with either water or Microsol (picked that up from the old ModelTrainsWeathered forum). Still need to add the splash marks in the ends then onto the underframe As usual suggestions / critique welcome Dan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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