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 Posted - March 22 2007 : 11:31:55 AM
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I've read a bit about Mirco-Engineering's Rail Weathering Solution...
I know you can spray paint the rail and I guess ties too and then go back and clean off the top of the rail. However, I'd like to avoid spray painting if possible.
Anybody have some good suggestions and possibly any pictures of finished results to share?
[?]
Tony Cook
HO-Scale Trains Resource
http://ho-scaletrains.net
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 Posted - March 22 2007 : 4:48:21 PM
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Tony,
I have not used the solution you are thinking of. But I did use a solution called Perma Blue. It's for reblueing firearms. It does a good job of darkening both brass and nickle-silver rail. As a plus, it seems to conduct current.
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Posted - March 22 2007 : 11:56:29 PM
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I have heard of that solution, but not seen it used.
The club I'm in did actually build a giveaway layout where we weathered the track. Used an airbrush and a small compressor. It went surprisingly quick - much quicker than hand-brushing. The time (and ONLY time) to do it, though, is BEFORE you have ANY other scenery down. You should also be prepared to go over the ties with another wash, so that everything isn't all uniform.
I saw a picture / URL about a year ago, for a device that was like a paint bottle with a special applicator tip, with a rolling wheel. You could roll in inside the rail and weather that way. I meant to investigate it but forgot - I actually had thought of a similar idea.
I did not weather my rails, but used an alcohol/india ink wash on the ballast between the ties. It makes a big improvement. For some of the rails (in visible areas that I like to stage photos), i went back and painted them with a micro-brush. A pain, but tolerable for a small area.
Next layout I build WILL get the airbrushed rails treatment. Unless that rail weathering solution works well, but I expect that would be slow and messy. But maybe it would work for what I have now...? If you try it, I'd love to hear about it!
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Posted - July 06 2007 : 9:46:54 PM
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| The rail weathering solution works great--only drawback is you need more than a bottle and you need a tub up to 36" maybe a little longer for flex track. The trick to this solution is the longer you soak the track-the darker the rail becomes. You have to soak for a while to get results-not sure how it works on switch tracks-only soaked a 9" straight for test. I paint my track with Floquil rail brown. I mask track and then take a sharp xacto knive pressed along tie plates and go down each side then remove excess tape. Ties are still masked exposing only rail and tie plate. I take the strip that is removed and placed on top of rails. Not to tedious
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Posted - July 06 2007 : 11:24:17 PM
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I just slather on Wal-Mart Nutmeg Brown craft paint then clean the rails with a hardwood stick.
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 Posted - July 07 2007 : 02:46:00 AM
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hi fellas...
forgive if it seems a rant, but I need help.
Our 12' X 36' layout consists of Atlas code 83 flex-track, Peco code 83 #5 Power-frog switches and Atlas code 83 #8 switches.
I have cringed when a couple of members paint the rails to weather them... and then when they have left, I have been cleaning the tops of these rails, which I don't mind too much.
BUT, what I do mind is stalling locomotives on those switches that have been painted... I'd rather the points be left alone.
Those Atlas #8 switches already have just over 3 inches of dead frog (until they get powered.)
My Loaded RS-18 stalls every now and then on these switches. This is not good when I am the only one running my trains and visitors are asking why it happens [B)].
I am in dire need to know what to do about these paint-happy members.
One swears to the ease of cleaning because he has painted his "N" scale track and had no problems running his trains after he has painted and cleaned the rails.
And, by the way, Code 83 Atlas is Not identical to Code 83 Peco. Peco is zits taller and thinner than Atlas.
well, whadda I do, besides grease up the points?
I will delete this if there is no known solition... win:win.
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
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Posted - July 07 2007 : 07:23:07 AM
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| Zeb-- sounds like your problem is paint is stopping current where the switch point is not contacting the rail on either side. Take a razor and scrape where the switch point rests on either rail. CAREFULLY scrape the point also. This should restore power. the paint is acting as a insulator causing your stall
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Posted - July 07 2007 : 11:15:55 AM
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| When I come to switches, I very carefully paint the outsides of the points and the outside of the rail.
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Posted - July 16 2007 : 04:28:40 AM
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The copy of MR with the SOO LINE Red Wing division had a excellent article in it on weathering track. After they had everything down they then airbrushed ( I would imagine you could use a spray can too ) the track and then ballasted everything. After the ballast was done they sanded the excess of the top of the rail and the dust from that gave the ballast a real nice weathered look to it, you could kill two birds with one stone with this method.. Im pretty sure it went something like that. Tony could may be able to tell you for certain if you wanted to research it any further.
A lone amature built the ark! A large group of professionals built the titanic!
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