First Loco Weathering/Detailing

[SeriousSam]

Howdy Errone. This is my first ever weathering/detailing of an N Scale locomotive. I will try to post more pictures, but I am not very good at this stuff, and the thing keeps telling me something about dimensions being too big or something. Anyways, This is an Atlas GP40. It used to be Union Pacific painted. As you can see, it is now Southern Pacific. I have added a snowplow, grab irons, lift rings, windshield wipers, cut levers and lots of rust/dirt coloring so that it can appear very weathered. Comments and suggestions are very welcome. I will try to post more pictures if this thing lets me. The locomotive is not as bright as it appears here...Flash sucks. But I would like to know what you guys/gals think and what else I can do to make it better. I lost the horn BTW :curse:

If you got weathered locomotives, please share :thumb:

 

[TruckLover]

Great job Sam :thumb: :thumb: It certainly looks like an old engine that has seen lots of running time.

Im going to start wheathering for the first time this weekend. I am looking forward to it. UP SD40-2 convinced me to start with his handy little tutorial on wheathering. Check it out: http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=19717&page=23 It's towrds the bottom of the page.

 

[Cornreaper]

Looks pretty good. The rust is perfect! The only other thing I would suggest is to 'grime-it-up' a little more with a wash of heavily diluted india ink.

 

[Herc Driver]

I like it! Consider adding fuel spill residue down the tank from the filler neck, maybe grime up the trucks a bit. But wow, if this is your first attempt...great result. Where did you get the added parts to make it more realistic and were they hard to install?

 

[shaygetz]

This is my first ever weathering/detailing of an N Scale locomotive. But I would like to know what you guys/gals think and what else I can do to make it better. I lost the horn BTW :curse:

If you got weathered locomotives, please share :thumb:

:thumb: Great first show:thumb: , one thing about the Espee...you can't over weather them. My only suggestion would be to give it a thin wash to take the streakiness down a bit. I use powdered pastel chalks along the top of my locos to simulate rust and soot as well.

ops: Feeling like I'm tooting my own hornops: I recently weathered a HO Big Boy, you may find the thread helpful.

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=21081

 

[Herc Driver]

Shay that Big Boy is awesome! Nice job.

 

[SeriousSam]

I like it! Consider adding fuel spill residue down the tank from the filler neck, maybe grime up the trucks a bit. But wow, if this is your first attempt...great result. Where did you get the added parts to make it more realistic and were they hard to install?

Thanx for your reply Herc. The mirrors, wipers, grab irons and rings are all from BLMA. The snowplow is from Detail Associates. I had to add a longer coupler, since the original one was too short to add the snowplow. Some of these details were very difficult to add. The grab irons (not pictured) on the back of the locomotive had to be carefully aligned so they would be straight. The snowplow was also a bit tricky because you cannot have it too low or too high. it would grind the rails or it would not let the coupler move freely. The window shades were pretty easy. The lift rings are probably the easiest. Drill, place, and glue from the inside. the cut levers are tricky because they have to be manually bent and centered right on top of the coupler.

 

[UP SD40-2]

SeriousSam, NICE JOB SO FAR!:thumb: , i like the details you have put on, and your rust looks GREAT!:thumb: I agree with the others on griming it up a bit . **Josh, THANKS MAN! . **Bob, i sure wish i had the talent YOU have to weather steam:thumb: , just don't have the guts to try one of my steamers yet, diesels are 100x easiertooth1 . View attachment 28754 View attachment 28755

 

[SeriousSam]

SeriousSam, NICE JOB SO FAR!:thumb: , i like the details you have put on, and your rust looks GREAT!:thumb: I agree with the others on griming it up a bit . **Josh, THANKS MAN! . **Bob, i sure wish i had the talent YOU have to weather steam:thumb: , just don't have the guts to try one of my steamers yet, diesels are 100x easiertooth1 . View attachment 28754 View attachment 28755

Thank you. That UP looks dirty:thumb: . I will go ahead and try different techniques to grim it up a bit.

 

[SeriousSam]

:thumb: Great first show:thumb: , one thing about the Espee...you can't over weather them. My only suggestion would be to give it a thin wash to take the streakiness down a bit. I use powdered pastel chalks along the top of my locos to simulate rust and soot as well.

ops: Feeling like I'm tooting my own hornops: I recently weathered a HO Big Boy, you may find the thread helpful.

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=21081

I will try what you suggested. I do need to do something about the decals. They are very shiny

 

[UP SD40-2]

edited out.

 

[TruckLover]

O so thats how you do that!!!

I have been wondering that for a while when I noticed it in your pictures.

 

[UP SD40-2]

edited out.

 

[TruckLover]

Maybe try it on a cheapo box car or somthing??

I gotta couple of those just laying around

 

[SeriousSam]

I was trying out different paint strippers and one of them began to melt an old rivarossi passenger car I had. I immediately put it away, never to see the light of my locomotives again

 

[TruckLover]

O NO!!! :cry:

 

[SeriousSam]

it sacrificed itself for my modeling needs.

Im just glad I didnt try it on one of my 60+ dollar engines or cars.

 

[shaygetz]

i use model aircraft thinner to fade out lettering:thumb: , Deano View attachment 28756

I like that technique, the faded lettering looks fantastic---and---because I live in America where I don't hafta take responsibility for my actions, I can sue yer tie plates off if it don't work...even if there is a clearly noted disclaimer:thumb:

 

[UP SD40-2]

I like that technique, the faded lettering looks fantastic---and---because I live in America where I don't hafta take responsibility for my actions, I can sue yer tie plates off if it don't work...even if there is a clearly noted disclaimer:thumb:

WOW! ...THANKS Bob for the "heads up".:thumb: you know, that could be true to ANY advice or tips given . i think I WILL take YOUR advice, and NOT give ADVICE . i cant afford trouble, THANKS Bob:thumb: -Deano

 

[SeriousSam]

would u guys believe that I added all the rust and smoke stains with a toothpick?