blueeighties Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I have recently started experimenting with painting and ballasting my track, before deciding on techniques etc and comitting to the whole layout. So far I have painted a section of track, and am very happy with it. The problem has arisen when I then ballasted it, and painted the ballast. Because I have had to spray the whole lot, the track colouring (sleepers+rails) has been lost. I can only see 2 possible solutions. 1, use pre coloured ballast. 2, leave the ballast pristine. Which is not really ideal. Has anyone else had this issue? Any tips or advice appreciated. Lee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRealistic Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I'll be interested to hear what others come up with, but after track painting and ballasting I'm intending to apply diluted Modelmates weathering washes to the ballast... using a brush. Might take longer... but you should be able to vary the colours and dilutions to good effect. Nice ballast and ballasting, by the way! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymek2 Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 have you tried using some very dilute paint in the form of a wash, to discolour the ballast? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 Thanks guys. A few people are suggesting more subtle colour washes, so I need to experiment with that. I also intend to have a look at the Woodland scenics pre coloured ballast range. Regards, Lee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Most paints are either Opaque or Transparent. If you think of "weathering" most of it is translucent (i.e. it does not completely obliterate the colour underneath). Where it is not, like spilt oil covered in detritus, fuel oil etc., then it will block off the colour underneath and rightly so. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Hi I'll chip in with my experience. I model in 0 gauge: once I've laid the track and fitted and tested the electrics, I spray the sides of the track with a rust colour. I do this from an angle of about 30 degrees and at right angles to the track, wiping the wet paint off before it dries. In the past I've used a spray can but this time I will use my airbrush. As my old layout was, and the new one is, against a wall, I just spray what I can see. It's advisable to mask off point blades, particularly if you rely on them for electrical contact. You end up with sleepers partly covered in rust paint (there will be a shadow behind the near rail) but ignore that. Then I ballast and glue down with dilute PVA - no colouring or anything. When that is dry I then spray the track with sleeper grime. I do this from an angle of about 60 or 70 degrees, but I go along the centre of the track getting as close to directly above it as I can, again wiping the track as I go. The result is that you get the dirt onto the ballast and sleepers but, generally, the rail sides stay rusty. Depending on how dirty I want the track I might go over it 2 or 3 times, or even use black in areas where locos stand. This picture gives an idea of the finished result -- it was taken to show the loco, but the track shows up quite well. Hope this is useful. Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Thanks Rod. Very nice track, and really like the 37! Regards, Lee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted July 29, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2012 Hi lee, I know this is an old topic but I wondered if you remember what paint /colours you used for your track painting at the star of the thread? I think the rail colour looks particularly good! Also, did you have any luck experimenting further with washes? Best wishes, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 Hi Harry. The paints used were Phoenix Precision, rusty rails for the rail sides, and sleeper grime for the sleepers. I have since been pre occupied with a lot of projects involving my airbrush, ballasting and painting the track has taken a back seat! I am finding the rusty rails colour extremely useful, I have just used it to give a nice rusty finish to a pair of Knightwing oil tanks. Regards, Lee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted July 29, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2012 Many thanks for that Lee - it was the rail colour I particularly liked. It doesn't have that orange tint that so often spoils lots of models. At the moment I use a mixture of tamiyas colours but mainly use Flat Earth for the rail sides. Will try your suggested one too to see the differences in the flesh! Thanks again, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbancohort Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 What an inspiration those photos are! I am going to give it a try on my new N gauge layout! Thanks gents Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Hi All Here's what I do (the track and rails are painted pre ballasting) The sidings outside of the signal box - I use a base dusting of humbrol 29 (dark earth) and then a mix of gunmetal and black for the oily bits. The non running rails are chemically blackened with gun blue. close up of one of the double slips While I had the gunmetal/black mix in the airbrush I used a simple card mask and sprayed the fishplates as these are usually greasy. HTH Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cram Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Hi All Here's what I do (the track and rails are painted pre ballasting) The sidings outside of the signal box - I use a base dusting of humbrol 29 (dark earth) and then a mix of gunmetal and black for the oily bits. The non running rails are chemically blackened with gun blue. close up of one of the double slips While I had the gunmetal/black mix in the airbrush I used a simple card mask and sprayed the fishplates as these are usually greasy. HTH Jim I have just been researching this very item. A bit of care is needed as on main running lines they seem to be well greased but on sidings, yards and lightly used lines they blend more with the track colour. I too have sprayed the rails as above and then stood the boards on their side to spray the timbers and track bed from diractly above. I have not laid the ballast yet but so far I am happy with the result. I have used precision rust for the trails and track colour for the sleepers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted July 30, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2012 Thanks for the step by step Jim - looks great. Is the rail colour just the dark earth that shows through then or have you added extra colours on top? Do you then mist colours over everything when the track's ballasted or colour the ballast using washes to avoid it changing the track colours? I spray the track varying colours with the airbrush prior to ballasting, then ballast with chinchilla dust and airbrush a variety of tones over the top of it all but I find this then loses the diversity of the colours between ballast and track. In N gauge this hasn't matted as much but am concerned it may not work as well moving to P4. Having said that, Julian Birley's Evercreech New uses quite a generic method (Peugot spray can I think!) and looks excellent! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Hi Harry Before the ballasting the wooden bullhead track was sprayed with JLTRT track colour and the rail sides painted dark brown. The concrete flat bottom track just had the rail sides painted with humbrol matt leather. Once ballasted the whole lot was misted over with an airbrush Hth Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted August 23, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 23, 2012 Following the advice on this thread, I've had a go at my first test piece of track. I'm not sure if I've made it look 'cluttered' with too many colours or whether the use of some white oil paints make it look too unrealistic rather than faded. Let me know what everyone thinks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Looks ok to me Harry. Quite tired but thats ok if thats what you were aiming for. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 While I had the gunmetal/black mix in the airbrush I used a simple card mask and sprayed the fishplates as these are usually greasy. Just one small thing Jim - there wouldn't be too much grease on the outside face of the plates. remember if you've greased them having removed them, you still have to put them back on! When I've done it I've always given the web of the rail a nice liberal coating, with a bit on the inside of the plates. Once it's nipped up, it'll be nicely spread where it needs to be Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Thanks James but thats not how brummies appear to do it! Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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