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I am soon to begin working on a small bit of weathering for a friend of mine.  He wants me to weather a streamlined steam locomotive, specifically the Weaver LV John Wilkes Loco.  Basically I wanted to ask if anyone has any tips on weathering streamlined "pride of the line" type steam locos without going overboard.  Granted he intends for me to model it based on towards the time when they were soon to repaint the locos into the black with the thick stripe rather than the pinstripe scheme but ANYWAY anyone have any tips on weathering streamlined steam vs ordinary locos?  I've never done a streamlined loco before but I have plenty of experience working on regular steam and diesel.
 

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Dave Funk posted:

I would tone down the rods with neolube (graphite suspended in alcohol, aval at micromark)

Flat finish the overall loco, add road grime to running gear and very light smoke dirt at top of loco.

I wouldn't go as dirty as photo...IMHO

I generally use acrylic paints.   I'll keep your color suggestions in mind!

rtraincollector posted:

maybe do it with chalk first, and if he likes it then spay clear coat if you can ( not an artist but believe I have heard that before ) 

My thing is I never spray my locomotives because I am afraid of getting clear coat or paint inside the motors and running mechanisms of the locomotive because of the aerosolized nature of the spray.  

For some reason in my twisted mind, when I look at a dirty Lehigh Valley streamline locomotive it just wipes the entire concept of streamlining out of existence.

If you can't get somebody out there with a soapy bucket of water and a scrub brush to clean the beast, then it's just another sooty, dirty steam locomotive. If you're selling the look of modernism with clean, streamline shapes and you don't follow up with keeping the hardware clean in and out, there's no point to having spent the money to streamline the machine.

Bogie

Last edited by OldBogie

I use Bragdon's weathering pigments; similar to chalks, but more effective, I feel. The surface should be flat (Dullcote) before you begin.

Unless you overspray it, the weathering job remains theoretically reversible - or re-doable for a better effect. I have no desire to reverse mine.

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Streamliners get dirty just like anything else, and the way to find out how to do it is just to find photos of the subject, or similarly-shaped locos, study them for a while, and do what "nature" did to the Big one.

Did streamliners ever get dirty (and banged-up)? You tell me. I call this the Dreyfuss "rough day at the office, dear?" shot:

DreyfussDirty

(Probably WWII-era, not at the end of its life, as all NYC Hudsons were de-streamlined and lived several more years after that. My Weaver brass ERR-equipped PT-tendered Century Hudson may look like this one day; I want to correct the shape of the badly-done factory pilot streamlining eventually, so as long as I'm fiddling...)

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OldBogie posted:

For some reason in my twisted mind, when I look at a dirty Lehigh Valley streamline locomotive it just wipes the entire concept of streamlining out of existence.

If you can't get somebody out there with a soapy bucket of water and a scrub brush to clean the beast, then it's just another sooty, dirty steam locomotive. If you're selling the look of modernism with clean, streamline shapes and you don't follow up with keeping the hardware clean in and out, there's no point to having spent the money to streamline the machine.

Bogie

You have a good point.  Though no matter how much you clean the engine, nature has a way of making it dirty again.

D500 posted:

I use Bragdon's weathering pigments; similar to chalks, but more effective, I feel. The surface should be flat (Dullcote) before you begin.

Unless you overspray it, the weathering job remains theoretically reversible - or re-doable for a better effect. I have no desire to reverse mine.

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Streamliners get dirty just like anything else, and the way to find out how to do it is just to find photos of the subject, or similarly-shaped locos, study them for a while, and do what "nature" did to the Big one.

Did streamliners ever get dirty (and banged-up)? You tell me. I call this the Dreyfuss "rough day at the office, dear?" shot:

DreyfussDirty

(Probably WWII-era, not at the end of its life, as all NYC Hudsons were de-streamlined and lived several more years after that. My Weaver brass ERR-equipped PT-tendered Century Hudson may look like this one day; I want to correct the shape of the badly-done factory pilot streamlining eventually, so as long as I'm fiddling...)

THATS COOL.  I'll have to do some research.  

I think those photos of unclean streamlined steam engines are the exception, rather than the rule.  There could be a logical explanation for the LV and NYC engines being seen in that condition:

  • Winter.  Some days it is just too cold to wash engines for days at a time.  Sometimes there is a storm at one end of an engine's run, while, at the other, it can sit out in clear weather, in plain sight, in an unkempt condition after arrival.
  • Running through stormy weather.  This does not rinse dirt off of steam locomotives.  Instead, it makes exhaust adhere.  And engines normally are not washed at locations where there is a storm in progress.
  • A bad trip where the engine steamed poorly or was poorly fired.  Yes, even streamlined locomotives developed defects and steamed poorly sometimes.
  • Late arrival at the end of the run, requiring turning and departing without washing.

Id say, some dust from the track, plus some grease from the rods and oil blowback from the lubricator would be the norm, along with a very light amount of soot at the top.

Number 90 posted:

I think those photos of unclean streamlined steam engines are the exception, rather than the rule.  There could be a logical explanation for the LV and NYC engines being seen in that condition:

  • Winter.  Some days it is just too cold to wash engines for days at a time.  Sometimes there is a storm at one end of an engine's run, while, at the other, it can sit out in clear weather, in plain sight, in an unkempt condition after arrival.
  • Running through stormy weather.  This does not rinse dirt off of steam locomotives.  Instead, it makes exhaust adhere.  And engines normally are not washed at locations where there is a storm in progress.
  • A bad trip where the engine steamed poorly or was poorly fired.  Yes, even streamlined locomotives developed defects and steamed poorly sometimes.
  • Late arrival at the end of the run, requiring turning and departing without washing.

Id say, some dust from the track, plus some grease from the rods and oil blowback from the lubricator would be the norm, along with a very light amount of soot at the top.

That is exactly what I was planning on doing.  Those scenarios were definitely helpful.  Also, I think that considering the LV was not entirely wealthy as far as railroads go, they may not have had time to say to someone: "Hey you go get a ladder and a bucket of water and wash this thing down before we have to leave next"  at least as far as washing the train between stations goes.  

Rusty Traque posted:
PR&NJRR posted:

they may not have had time to say to someone: "Hey you go get a ladder and a bucket of water and wash this thing down before we have to leave next"  at least as far as washing the train between stations goes.  

Takes a little more than a bucket of water to wash down a steam locomotive:

4-8-4 N&W 607 Wash

Steam Wash

Rusty

well they're not going to have a train wash at every station......  and if you're running late.......

Paul Kallus posted:

I've seen the Hiawatha F7 Hudson with dirt and grime - and it actually it is a very interesting look because it shows the contrast of the two aspects - what the creator/designer envisioned vs. what actually happens in real life. Its very apropos.

very true.  I also feel like sometimes it can accentuate details (at least on a model) that would otherwise get lost in the paint scheme.   

I went and did it the other day.  I still have some stuff to work on as far as super-detailing goes but I am more or less done with the weathering itself.  I may touch up the wheels a little bit.  

Before

After

what do you think?  Have I committed a grave crime against model trains by attempting to depict the effects of contact with mother nature?

 

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Last edited by PR&NJRR

Having washed several real steam locomotives, I can attest that it is a lot of work. While streamlined engines would be the pride of the fleet, it is certainly possible that they might have missed a few washes. Additionally, the worst part about washing a steam engine is seeing it the next day after running 100 miles and nobody can tell you just worked really hard making it look good.

Your weathering of the rods looks good. I would try to get a little more soot along the top of the engine.

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