I picked up a paint pen from wally world and tested it out on a piece of flex. it didn't adhere that great. should I wipe it down with something first? also getting to the inside with that pen was a little tough.. should I just brush it? im just wondering if im opening a can of worms with this.
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I picked up a paint pen from wally world and tested it out on a piece of flex. it didn't adhere that great. should I wipe it down with something first? also getting to the inside with that pen was a little tough.. should I just brush it? im just wondering if im opening a can of worms with this.
90% IPA will be fine.
AG.
thanks. im torn weather or not to go this route, or the airbrushing of the whole thing in one color.. sort of a dark dirty grey type of thing. ive seen it on the forum , but don't know the exact color. I kind of dig the rust brown look , but like the weathered look of all three as well.
Painted rails look great but it's a job. I haven't done it on my 3-rail tracks because I have some concern whether it might seep into the rail joints and reduce the continuity. A lot of my old 3-rail track was naturally rusted and I just sanded the tops and reamed the end holes.
If you haven't ballasted the track yet, it is very simple. I used a Charcoal Green spray can by Rustoleum (which is no longer produced, but some sort of 'Camo Brown' is now available). I sprayed both sides of the 3 rails, including the ties. When the spray paint began to set, I wiped the tops of the rails with a lacquer thinner moistened red cotton rag, wrapped around a piece of 1" X 2" wood. One or two days later, I spray painted more track, using the same process.
Most of the layout has been, or will be getting airbrushed after the track is down and wired. Yes...paint the center rail. NO- is does not effect the DCS, or TMCC/Legacy signals. The paint does not create any voltage drops. Just make sure all your joints are tight when putting the track down.
These storage tracks and switches were painted outside with camo flat brown spray cans, and then installed, just because it was easier.
1st level of texture and weathering applied to the spray bombed storage tracks.
pretty cool. so you painted rails and ties ..everything? did you hang them and spray?
pretty cool. so you painted rails and ties ..everything? did you hang them and spray?
I didn't. The whole layout had the track & turnouts laid on VinylBed roadbed, completely wired and totally finished, THEN I spray painted all the track/turnouts, cleaned the rail tops, and some days later, I sprayed some more, until the whole layout had all the track/turnouts completely weathered. Then, and only then, did we begine ballasting and scenery.
pretty cool. so you painted rails and ties ..everything? did you hang them and spray?
the track that was sprayed outside with spray cans was laid on cardboard, and everything was covered. ties, rails, frogs... everything
the airbrushed track was focused on the rails only, but of course the ties get some paint too. no big deal though because when you ballast and weather the tracks, it all blends together nicely
Brown camo and weatherize powder.
AG
AG, thanks for sharing your superior modeling skills and technique here on the forum.
I used Floquil rail brown on my main line and a mixture of rail brown and grimy black for yard tracks. I paint lightly used rails with Floquil rust and weathering chalks.
With Floquil no longer produced I'll have to find a substitute when my supply runs out.
When I'm finished, I clean the rail tops with a solvent.
About a month ago, I bought a WS rusty rail paint pen. I found that I had to clean the sides of the rail with alcohol or else the pen tip picked up stain (traces of which were left from when I stained the ties) and stopped working. I didn't have much problem getting sides of the rails painted except on switches. I bought 2 more paint pens a few weeks ago. It looks OK...more realistic than shiny tin. But not as nice as some the guys that use an airbrush.
This section of abandoned track was painted using all powders then sealed with a dull coat. Best success I've had yet. Even better the closer you zoom in the better it looks because of the grit from the powders. 
This section was airbrushed using Testors Model Master Enamel Raw Umber and then regular enamel Testors flat Brown. 
I believe I read a post saying one needs to be careful when painting track such as Atlas O. The poster said paint got inside the rail joiners and he lost electrical conductivity.
Joe
Joe I've never had an issue with losing electrical conductivity after painting track on any of the layouts I've done, N scale, HO, or O. The key is making all your rail joints tight when you install the track, which you should do anyway.
I recently bought this airbrush to finish up painting the track on the unfinished half of the layout:
Joe I've never had an issue with losing electrical conductivity after painting track on any of the layouts I've done, N scale, HO, or O. The key is making all your rail joints tight when you install the track, which you should do anyway.
I recently bought this airbrush to finish up painting the track on the unfinished half of the layout:
Thread revival!
What if I have Gargraves track with wood ties? It seems the paint would be difficult, at best, to remove from the ties.
Thanks - Ponz
Joe's rusty rail paint from Walthers and !/4" paintbrush works well. The kit comes with a small roller and squeeze bottle. Worthless just get the paint.
dobermann posted:Joe's rusty rail paint from Walthers and !/4" paintbrush works well. The kit comes with a small roller and squeeze bottle. Worthless just get the paint.
Say again please.......What's worthless? Never mind. I understand now.
Thanks - Ponz
Laidoffsick posted:Most of the layout has been, or will be getting airbrushed after the track is down and wired. Yes...paint the center rail. NO- is does not effect the DCS, or TMCC/Legacy signals. The paint does not create any voltage drops. Just make sure all your joints are tight when putting the track down.
Looks great! I think the 3-rail track looks better with all rails the same real rail color, instead of a black center rail which calls attention to being different.
Ponz posted:Thread revival!
What if I have Gargraves track with wood ties? It seems the paint would be difficult, at best, to remove from the ties.
Thanks - Ponz
It depends on how you plan on painting the rails. If you are using a brush it really shouldn't be an issue keeping the paint off the ties. I used an airbrush and intentionally, (light coating) sprayed the tires with the same color as the rails. It gave it the dirty, oily look I was aiming for.
Marc
For painting the rails, I use a 1" wide foam brush and Poly Scale paints. A mixture of 50:50 Grimy Black and rail brown:
It takes a few seconds to do one side of three feet of rail, and you don't need to clean the railheads afterwards:
John:
Many thanks for this. Wish I had tried it before buying several WS rail pens.
I just tried this felt brush technique on Gargraves track using nothing more than Sargent Art burnt umber for paint.
Perfectly happy with it. Ultra cheap, fast and easy! I was going to just use a brush but the angled foam "brushes" work really well!
Ponz posted:Thread revival!
What if I have Gargraves track with wood ties? It seems the paint would be difficult, at best, to remove from the ties.
Thanks - Ponz
That's what I've got. Rustoleum Camo Brown. Easy to do and color blends with gargraves ties.
Jacobpaul81 posted:Ponz posted:Thread revival!
What if I have Gargraves track with wood ties? It seems the paint would be difficult, at best, to remove from the ties.
Thanks - Ponz
That's what I've got. Rustoleum Camo Brown. Easy to do and color blends with gargraves ties.
Thank you JacobPaul - that's what I was hoping to hear. I'd prefer to brush it on, but I only see spray cans everywhere. Any ideas?
Ponz
I just use Super-O track. It is all 50 years old--comes pre-rusted. 
@domer94 posted:thanks. im torn weather or not to go this route, or the airbrushing of the whole thing in one color.. sort of a dark dirty grey type of thing. ive seen it on the forum , but don't know the exact color. I kind of dig the rust brown look , but like the weathered look of all three as well.
Hi
I am also painting rails on my track, you have to wipe down the rails with alcohol to remove the oil put on during mfg, i use a oil base rustoleum primer for the first coat, i found some excellent paint for painting the rails it is microlux paint from micro mark in new jersey it comes in brushable or air brush paint and comes in 2oz bottles if you order a variaty of colors you can mix them together to come up with a color you like, i mix 1 drop of rail brown with another color to tone down the greenish color of the rail brown, just till you find the color that you like then just write down the formula and you can mix larger batches i also found these touchup brushes used for automotive paint touchup on amazon that work great on the rails they look like a small Qtip but dont leave any cotton fuzz behind they say they are throw away but i wash them with waater and use them multiple times i bought a pack of 100 of them for about $10.00 hope this helps.
Regards
Prentice
@domer94 posted:I picked up a paint pen from wally world and tested it out on a piece of flex. it didn't adhere that great. should I wipe it down with something first? also getting to the inside with that pen was a little tough.. should I just brush it? im just wondering if im opening a can of worms with this.
Hi
I am also painting rails on my track, you have to wipe down the rails with alcohol to remove the oil put on during mfg, i use a oil base rustoleum primer for the first coat, i found some excellent paint for painting the rails it is microlux paint from micro mark in new jersey it comes in brushable or air brush paint and comes in 2oz bottles if you order a variaty of colors you can mix them together to come up with a color you like, i mix 1 drop of rail brown with another color to tone down the greenish color of the rail brown, just till you find the color that you like then just write down the formula and you can mix larger batches i also found these touchup brushes used for automotive paint touchup on amazon that work great on the rails they look like a small Qtip but dont leave any cotton fuzz behind they say they are throw away but i wash them with waater and use them multiple times i bought a pack of 100 of them for about $10.00 hope this helps.
Regards
Prentice
@domer94 posted:I picked up a paint pen from wally world and tested it out on a piece of flex. it didn't adhere that great. should I wipe it down with something first? also getting to the inside with that pen was a little tough.. should I just brush it? im just wondering if im opening a can of worms with this.
I bought these brushes on amazon they were pretty cheap i think they were about $10-$15 for 100 of them they say they are disposable but you can wash them out with water if you are using a water base paint and use them a couple of times they work good and fit on the side of the track
Agree painting center rails looks better than leaving it black.
I used a brown brush tip sharpie'.. On the Atlas track, the brown looks like rust and is realistic. No hassle applying. The brush tip fits perfectly against the rails. And also a very quick process,,,,,
I just let my used 027, old track just rust on the sides for the last 40 years. I cleaned the tops of the rails with mineral spirits and applied NO OX ID A Special conducting grease on the tops, let set and wiped it off for great train operation.
Charlie
@pphegena posted:I bought these brushes on amazon they were pretty cheap i think they were about $10-$15 for 100 of them they say they are disposable but you can wash them out with water if you are using a water base paint and use them a couple of times they work good and fit on the side of the track
What are those? They look like Q-tips.
John
@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:I used a brown brush tip sharpie'.. On the Atlas track, the brown looks like rust and is realistic. No hassle applying. The brush tip fits perfectly against the rails. And also a very quick process,,,,,
whats a brush tip sharpie ?
the only sharpies i am familiar with are the felt tip, they come in different size felt tips
I spray everything with Canmo brown then wipe the rails with spirits. Boom, done.
Sharpie came out with brush tip markers just a few years ago. They come in many colors and designed for drawing/painting with a permanent marker.
Take a look on amazon, or staples. Highly recommend for modeling'. They work great..
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