Weathering

[Keikyu]

So does anyone else actually weather their trains? I finished doing it to my 115 a while ago and I think it came out alright.

 

 

I'm wondering if there is a cheaper alternative to an airbrush. At the moment I'm just using qtips to do it, but it doesn't quite look real or that.

[Guest keio6000]

Looks great!   That (off-white) 115 is an excellent candidate for weathering.   Can you tell us your exact technique?   I have a few excellently weathered locos, but, well, I bought them that way :)

[Keikyu]

Well I don't have a specific technique I guess. You know those long stick things with the cotton lumps on the end? I really just use those to dab paint where I want, then use a dry one to scrape it off after it has dried out a little.

 

I did the same thing here, and this was my first attempt at it:

 

 

It works well i think. But I cannot do the roof properly.

[Guest keio6000]

so you use paint?  I though the standard method was a bit of diluted ink.

 

the DD51 staining looks good, but perhaps doing the handlebars in addition to the body might complete the look a bit..  if i can, i'll try to find my weathered DD51 and take some photos.

[Keikyu]

Yeah, I have had cheap paint for a while now. It's just water based so if I make a mistake it's easy to rub off.

 

And I was going to do the handlebars, but I can't really decide on how. Would they be more brown with rust/dirt or blacker from the exhaust.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Keikyu

[Thomas]

Looks great! Try using pastels or weathering powders next time. They are easier to apply and if you don't like it you can just wipe it off and start over. Once you get the look you want just spray a matte clear overcoat to seal the area.

[Mudkip Orange]

Not having to weather is one of the reasons I like modeling Japan.

[Kabutoni]

Weathering for Japanese trains... I reckon you only have to do the underbody and roof. The rest is kept clean most of the time.

 

Then again, it largely depends on the operator of course. Choshi RR tends to not give much about dirt (or is just cutting in costs). Same goes for JR Freight :D

 

 

Also, I'm all for weathering! The problem is that it downs the resale value on your trains... But who is going to resale them anyway? Besides, I'm going to repaint most of my rolling stock anyway... Now, where have I left my pastel powders?

Edited November 9, 2013 by Toni Babelony

[Keikyu]

Not having to weather is one of the reasons I like modeling Japan.

 

Well even the nice city trains seem to get gritty on the wheels and bogies. Even a little weathering on the under parts ends up looking nicer than perfect and shiny.

[JR 500系]

Wow that D10 looks great Keikyu! 

 

Like the nostalgic look on the 115 too... Really makes a difference ~

[Densha]

Sometimes even the under floor equipment and roof doesn't need to be weathered:

[Kabutoni]

Sometimes even the under floor equipment and roof doesn't need to be weathered:

 

Still, a little bit of black wash weathering can do miracles to bring out detail like air conditioner grates and stuff like that.

[Kamome]

I want to weather the running gear on a Kato C56. It's a beautiful model and extremely delicate but the running gear is a little too silver for my liking. Does anyone have any ideas on a suitable option without making an expensive mistake?