Painting couplers, what think ye?

I've done some painting on the "Big Claw" coupler to help hide it. See the photos attached. The E7 with the black coupler sticks out like a sore thumb. After I painted it silver to match the E7, IMO, it's not as noticeable and the eyes are not directed to it.

I even have weathered couples, see the photo of the S2 switcher.

Both models were custom painted and lettered by me as well.

RAY

For what it's worth, in the real world of prototype railroading, it has been against the law to "paint couplers" for well more than 100 years. That said, in my opinion the best method of making a model coupler look more "prototypical" is to make it appear "rusty" or simply "bare".

@Conductor Earl:

“. . . what think ye?” IMHO, for 3 RAIL O gauge model railroading:  totally unnecessary.

I haven't ever painted "Big Claw" couplers, but I do paint my Kadees Rustoleum Camo Brown then apply rust colored weathering powder.  After painting, I use lacquer thinner to remove the paint from the face of the knuckle.  This part needs to remain slick in order for the coupler to function.

Bob

I used to paint mine with Rust-O-Leum/Krylon Camo flat brown, but often now use an inexpensive craft store brown of a similar color: "Traditional Burnt Umber", I believe it is. The oxides are usually too orange; rusty and dirty steel/iron out in the weather is usually a brown/gray/black, to my eyes. If it has factory paint, I do usually do hit the coupler with some flat finish (brushed on is fine) to give it more tooth for the acrylic.

Again, a brush is just fine if you are just doing the coupler; 2 coats sometimes; not long to dry.

The FA1's look is a combination of paint and weathering.

Now here's a painted/weathered real "scale model" with painted couplers:

D500, nice effect. The couplers don't stick out and almost blend in.

RAY

A quick view of my train shelves revealed that 100% of my couplings are black.  Most trucks are also black with a few being silver like F3 and other diesels.  I am not into weathering and do not have the time or effort to want to paint anything I do not have to paint.  Some Delrin plastic couplers or trucks will not take paint very well at all.

Charlie

Thanks guys. Good info.  Good pics.

In real life you they paint couplers.

@Jeff B. Haertlein posted:

In real life you they paint couplers.

What? Do you mean "In real life do they paint couplers"?

No, painting couplers, draw-bars, and wheels is against the law, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Why,,,,,,,,,because the paint could hide defects/cracks, etc..

@Hot Water posted:

What? Do you mean "In real life do they paint couplers"?

No, painting couplers, draw-bars, and wheels is against the law, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Why,,,,,,,,,because the paint could hide defects/cracks, etc..

My typing was too fast. Yes, in real life railroading you do NOT paint couplers etc. Sorry!

@Jeff B. Haertlein posted:

My typing was too fast. Yes, in real life railroading you do NOT paint couplers etc. Sorry!

True - it's illegal - but also in real life couplers are not black, shiny nor zinc.

I have several color books on freight cars that cover the CB&Q, GN, NP and others. It is true that couplers were not painted as a rule, but I have several photos of cars that came out of the shop with painted couplers that match the color of the freight car.

The Great Northern had a series of cars called "Circus" freight cars. Some of the cars are yellow, silver, dark red, light red, dark green. The photos I have seen show that the couplers were painted the same color as the box car.

Freshly shopped cars from other RR's also show that some couplers were painted the same color as the car body.

I suspect that the paint crew did not mask the coupler, and so everything got painted the same color.

RAY

While it is against Federal Regulations to paint couplers and drawbars, it has not, historically, been vigorously enforced in all cases.

"Silver" pilots on Santa Fe, Western Pacific, and Burlington passenger diesels usually had matching couplers.  Couplers on stainless steel passenger cars sometimes had silver couplers, if the railroad also painted the trucks and underbody components silver.

Overall, though, they are not painted.  The steel castings rust at first, and then develop a certain oxidized appearance after acquiring exposure to the elements, acid rain, and the generally dirty railroad environment.  They are usually a dirty brown color, not bright orange with rust.

In addition to the prohibition against painting, prototype couplers are not to be lubricated.

I'm definitely going to weather the couplers. For better or worse I started to convert my new/modest three-rail o-gauge collection from claw couplers to kadees because "its what is done when doing 3-rail scale" but I'm beginning to have serious second thoughts. The kadees aren't nearly as reliable as I assumed and the loss of electro couplers on my switching layout is a huge drawback so I'm thinking of going back to the claws. But if I do I'll definitely be weathering them to match the loco.