Building a fleet-Part 4-The end

After a gap due to job assignement, the wheathering process on the Milwaukee 40 footer resumed. It received a wash of Polly Scale Railroad Tie Brown and Engine black diluted with an alcohol window washing product very much like Windex. On the roof Polly Scale Wheathered black was added to the mix to obtain this greyish hue I like (and I've seen on so many 40's and 50's freight cars photos). I don't have invented this technique. I'am really indebted to Jim Six who popularized it on his former blog (on MRH). I've just adapted it to my needs and products availabality on this side of the pond.
Trucks were repainted in Polly Scale Milwaukee Road maroon and then wheathered with AK Interactive products like Light Dust deposit (AK 4082). I've lightly added some of this wash on the lower side sills and on the lower ends to dust them lightly. I've then mounted the Sergent couplers and On3 rubber brake hose and that's pretty much done. Next time something very different is in the pipeline. See ya'

Building a fleet-Part 4 1/2

Continuing the wheathering process...

At a slow pace, really! Just some chipping with acrylic colors as seen in photo 1 (except the one at left used for the roof) , and some rust streaks with Mars red oil color.

No dilution for the oil, just straight from the tube and drawn down the side with a 2/0 brush. Next step the wheathering washes. See ya'

Building a fleet...Part 4

 Milwaukee Boxcars...Again!

Some will say that I'am much more of a Milwaukee fan than a Santa Fe one! The 50 ft is one of my first brass I've owned in the 90's and like all my older rolling stock it endured some different wheathering jobs but I've always focused on a layout quality to speed up the process for a fleet (even of modest size like mine). The latest wheathering to date on this car was done around two or three years ago and the basics were the same I will apply on the 40 footer on the foreground. For the record, and the purists, I'am pretty sure the Milwaukee emblem is not right for the late forties and on this particular class of car (much more at home on pre-war full lenght rib-side probably) but I want to have one with this feature so....
My philosophy for a layout quality model is that it must be quick and easy, and the methods used lend to an homogeneous finish in my car stable, yet with individuality. That said a car treatment must not exceed two or three hours, a perfect time for an evening of work. Wheathering rolling stock could be a great hobby in itself, but my goal is still to do a layout not an RPM challenge (with all the respect I have for the marvellous results seen there).
I always begin with the roof, and the chipping associated with . The chipping is done with a small paintbrush (2/0) and a metal acrylic paint not diluted. When I began using this technique 15 years ago (from what I've read in the military modelling press), I loved using Santa Fe silver from Polly Scale. But with the discontinuance of this brand, I've settled on a Matt Aluminium acrylic (A MIG 194) from the spanish brand Ammo-Mig. It's even better than my beloved Polly Scale! It took me around 40 minutes to do the roof at a fairly slow pace (seasonal flue will not help). In a next post we'll see the sides treatment and the whole wheathering of the car.
Until then happy new year to the few that read this blog. See ya' next year.

Building a fleet...Part 3

A tale of three boxcars

This bunch of Santa Fe boxcars have their share of history, at least for me. From left to right is a PRS Bx-43 (a lightly modified Bx 37 with some parts added to the side sills), a classic PRS Bx 37 and an SHS Bx 32.
The SHS boxcar is the first piece of plastic S scale rolling stock I've bought way back in 96' or 97' (the other before were brass). I know he's not completely accurate. The height is a bit on the low side and maybe the mpurpy ends don't have the exact number of ribs but...At present he's OK for me and good enough as a layout quality model. And S scalers knew the famous "S is for Stand-ins", so... I've wheathered it two or threee time with different methods over this 20+ years period. Much more recently, I've detailled it to closely represent the appearance of the ATSF USRA rebuilds boxcars with fishbelly center sill (SHS), side ladders (PRS), lower door sliding rail (Grandt Line), handbrake wheel (Grandt Line), Andrews trucks (SHS), etc...The only next thing to do on it is to change the coupler from Accurail to a Sergent.
The Bx 43 at left have a tortuous story made of crash and broken parts. It came from a french S scaler, the one that introduce me to standard gauge S scale in early 1995, and suffered many injuries. If memories goes well it begins as a NP green boxcar and became Santa Fe in the late 90's. When I rescued it it was partly broken ad many parts were missing. I've done the necessary rebuilding in phase, as the mood strike, and finally specialize it in grain handling with wood grain doors. Done at  a time when I planned to model a more midwestern themed layout, I even don't know if I'll use it on my present layout.
The third one have a more straight life. I've bought it assembled some years ago from one of the Milepost 169 guy if I remember well and just changed the brake platform, installed SSLS 33' wheels, wheathered it and doing so I've gained another one layout quality model! The photo shows me that I've lost the handbrake. It's time to do some TLC!
See ya'