Weather those ties

[Play-Doh]

I am adandoning my idea of weathering my ties with cigarette ash (its time consuming and just gives me more reason to smoke, which i am trying to quit). I have read alot of different methods but I am slightly confused. I dont want my ties brown. The ties I am trying to replicate (Northwest) do have some brown in them but are mostly black...just heavily weathered. Should I dry brush pastels? Dullcoat? Any ideas?

Thanks folks

TJ

 

[ezdays]

There is an article in the current issue of MR that talks about how to weather and ballast. One thing I don't agree with is that they say to ballast first then go back and weather the ties. It's a lot easier to paint, or weather the rails first, then weather the ties before doing any ballasting. I would use acrylic paint. You can get the color and shade you want that way. I wouldn't use ash, it's organic and it's not going to apply smothly or consistantly. Just quite smoking and that won't even be an issue.

 

[hminky]

I have a "what I did" at:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/4x8/weathered_track/

Thank you if you visit
Harold

 

[jim currie]

what ever way you weather the ties don't do them all the same at ties weather at different rates and depending what era your in. moderen era they tend to replace ties miles at a time if older era the ties on some rr are replaced as needed thus you would have ties at different ages next to each other.

 

[Play-Doh]

Good advice folks. Im gonna hold off on that till im done painting the rail (I swrewed up and ballasted first...never again) Should I paint the inside of the rail as well? Its rusted in pics I see, but I dont want this to gum up my engine.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

You can clean off the top of the rails after painting. You can also clean the top inside of your rails at the same time.