Weather (or not) Your trains

I don't weather, but as recently mentioned on another thread, I have naturally weathered trains that I like, including this oil tanker car that I purchased with rust on it for very little money:

Weathering looks great, but IMHO you're either "all-in" or not. Some weathered cars look worse to me than none. I'm staying with non-weathered (for now) only because I'm not up for weathering everything I have.

Only if it comes from the factory that way.

I like the look, but don't know if I can do a good enough job at weathering them myself.

What do you folks think about weathering with chalk dust that can be easily removed?

I like weathering if the entire layout is weathered.  If the entire layout isn't weathered they just look out of place to me.

My layouts won't be weathered because I don't have the time to do so.

-Greg

A few of our weathered cars, a few actual cars.  John in Lansing, ILL

I use Dullcote, pastel chalks, and some spray paint.  I first spray the entire loco with Dullcoat before applying chalks and other paints.  The paints I use are a flat black spray and/or Floquil  Grimmy Black which I just ran out of. Once all the chalks and paint has been applied I then seal everything with a coat of Dullcote. Here  are the two steam locos that I have weathered this year ... a Docksider and a Pennsy A5.  These are the first two locos I have ever weathered.   For the A5 I splashed coal all over the tender deck to give added realism.  

Docksider, I sprayed drivers/ side rods with Floquil Grimmy Black spray paint to get rid of the shine. 

Dockside sitting in the yard.

Dockside in natural morning light as it shines through a window ( out of photo ) on left.

Side view.  Camera is hand held.  Loco is actually on level track

The  K line A5 brand new just out of the box.  The little fella there is giving the A5  the once over inspection.

A5 after the weathering process.

I splashed extra coal on the tender deck all around the coal bunker.

Front tender apron with spilled coal.

Another view of the tender's top side.   I've weathered many of my freight cars before I attempted weathering these two locos.  I applied the same weathering process to these locos.   I find the weathering process most relaxing/therapeutic.  

I'm slowly weathering practically my entire fleet.  It's a long process but I currently have enough weathered freight cars, and locomotives to run at the same time on my layout if I so desire.  My layout has a weathered look to it so the weathered trains fit right into the overall scenic context. 

I will leave some of my locomotives, such as my scale Lionel J N&W J class , Aerotrain, scale GG1's  unweathered.    I want those locos to gleam as they pull the varnish around my layout.  I will weather a few passenger cars at some time in the future, however, most of my passenger car fleet will reflect well maintained varnish.  

Mostly yes. I like use an Artist oil paints, Pan pastels with a turpentine.

I like the realism of lightly weathered scale/semi-scale trains on a detailed layout.

That said, I like Warrenville's postwar Lionel's to be clean and bright and would never weather them.

Learning about and sharing our different preferences is a good part of what makes visiting the layouts and collections of others, and reading the postings on this forum, most enjoyable.

Eventually, I intend to weather all my equipment but building the layout is my priority right now.  I do enjoy weathering though. I've done a few cars and hope to get a few more done when I get the chance.

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Mostly yes. I like use an Artist oil paints, Pan pastels with a turpentine.

Nicely done!

Of course...:

...but only the modern stuff, never the prewar or postwar.

richtrow posted:

Eventually, I intend to weather all my equipment but building the layout is my priority right now.  I do enjoy weathering though. I've done a few cars and hope to get a few more done when I get the chance.

Looking a really good. 👏

Johan

Greg Houser posted:

I like weathering if the entire layout is weathered.  If the entire layout isn't weathered they just look out of place to me.

My layouts won't be weathered because I don't have the time to do so.

-Greg

My layout is weathered only because it is a mess. LOL. So my trains should be weathered but they're not, except for those that are also a mess. LOL, Arnold

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. After watching quite a few train videos and watching cars go by while sitting at crossings, I've noticed that much of the weathering severity depends on the age of the car. Not unusual to see some shiny, graffitee-less cars show up among the well-worn. 

Terry

trumptrain posted:

I'm slowly weathering practically my entire fleet.  It's a long process but I currently have enough weathered freight cars, and locomotives to run at the same time on my layout if I so desire.  My layout has a weathered look to it so the weathered trains fit right into the overall scenic context. 

I will leave some of my locomotives, such as my scale Lionel J N&W J class , Aerotrain, scale GG1's  unweathered.    I want those locos to gleam as they pull the varnish around my layout.  I will weather a few passenger cars at some time in the future, however, most of my passenger car fleet will reflect well maintained varnish.  

Patrick, the extra coal is a very nice touch. It adds realism. Good job'..

I  very much appreciate the fine artistry exemplified on this and other threads, but it is not my "cup of tea". I do own a number of LGB locos and rolling stock that have factory minimal roof  weathering, and that is OK.

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Mostly yes. I like use an Artist oil paints, Pan pastels with a turpentine.

You never mentioned how large you printed your background image of the lakes of Maine??

Nice weathering'..