Auscision AKJY and AOOX weathering by Barcoola

Hi All

Here are some more examples of weathering Auscision's AKJY and AOOX's, same basic approach, wash of faded green, then wash of matt black, add rust spots, then spray road grime and grimy black, matt clear.

Enjoy

Scott

Austrains VPCX weathering by Barcoola

Hi All

As an interim step I decided to use Austrains VPCX's for delivering concrete to the industrial siding for Adelaide Brighton Cement.

So here is my first attempt in weathering a concrete wagon, first start with a diluted mix of matt white, and a touch of grey no. 64, this will knock off the plastic colour off the Vline brown.
Then apply a wash of varying strength, working on the nooks and crannies of the wagon, this will show the lighter colour after a application of a heavier wash of matt 64.

A spray of Accuflex road grime and a touch of grimy black.
Finally a coat of matt clear will complete the job.

I also recommend that you swap out the couplers for Kadee No. 5's.

Enjoy

Scott

Auscision models AN ABFX weathering by Barcoola

Hi All

In the process of weathering Alice Springs trackage, I got the urge to get into weathering.
So here is some examples of Auscision's ABFX, and how I weathered them.

Here is a green ABFX which was faded then weathered.  I started with a mix of Humbrol paints, a little bit of green, white and importantly blue, as you can see by photos, check out Norm Bray's site, its on the link bar on the right.  You will find that green mostly fades the yellow out of the pigment, thus this is a very important step.  This can be described a a heavy wash.

I also forgot how easy it is to work with Humbrol paints, and the pigments can always be resurected .  Once the  fade wash has cured, there needs to be a bit of definition between the outside ribs and the body panels, the ribs will have things constantly rubbing against them where as the panels won't..  After this I added rust colour into the roof panels and side panels.

to bind all these colours all together , a dusting of Acufex custom mixed road grime, over the roof and under the body, and on an extreme angle on the sides.  a light dusting of grimy black, and follow up with a light but consistent coat of matt clear.  All that is left to do is a wash of matt black for the bogie detail.

 I also accomplish something very similar on the ANR ABFX, but just started with a grimy wash.

Here is a shot of all three.

 Enjoy

Scott

An inspirational layout, the magnolia route

Every now and then a layout comes up that is pure inspiration, one such layout is the MAG, a Southern state USA layout.
Given that the foot print of this layout is 6 ft longer than, what I have for Alice Springs, he has made the MAG with some intelligent design.  I am not a fan of double deck layouts, but I am impressed with the MAG.  I was worried about building the small amount that is required, for Alice Springs, and realized that I should just suck it up.  When you build New Orleans Union station without compression, wow impressive.
Anyway if you want some real inspiration, check out the website MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA & GULF.

I also like the mini scenes that he has created, I usually don't like to have people on a layout, but I just might be swayed.
Finally check out his large buildings, spectacular!
Also check out Great Model Railroads, latest issue as this has a feature article on the MAG, (its all Doug's fault)

Enjoy

Scott

Detailing a Austrains DL Class Locomotive Barcoola style

Hi All
 Sometimes this Blog is a bit like an internet magazine, more space to dedicate and easier to publish, and as such I would like to offer an article for weathering an Austrains DL class into a proper AN era desert runner.

Here is the finished product, ready to blast across your desert layout, with a string of TOFC.

The original Austrains DL is on the right, the weathered one is on the left.

 The first step in this process is to remove the body from the mechanism, compared to other manufactures arrangement, the DL is easy,

• Turn the model upside down on a piece of foam.
• Remove the coupler screws, and remove the couplers and pockets.
• Place four small instrument screw drivers between the body and the frame, around the area of the fuel tank.
• With the screw drivers in place lift the mechanism away from the shell.
• With body upside down, pry up the black housing which holds the LED for the A end headlight, this should just pop out.
• Remove the cab side window glass from both sides, then remove the windscreen glass.
• Retain the window glass, couplers and headlight housing and then temporarily reassemble the locomotive, without these items.

Now we can get down to the details.

The little details first, using a wash of Humbrol matt black, wash down the Air condtioner grilles and body  joint lines.  This will give the model definition.

Using a silver paint pen, paint the windcreen seals, and windscreen wiper blades.
Paint the uncoupler lift bar, yellow, again a paint pen will do the trick.
Paint the inside of the five chime airhorn green.

Turning to the B end, paint the edge between the yellow B end and the grey roof with a thin line of Green.
Also paint the coupler lift bar Green.

Wash the bogies with Humbrol matt black.

Compare the this shot from the one above, even in this early stages the details realy start to pop out.

The mansard roof sections need to be painted Humbrol 64 grey, the difference between is obvious.

The foot access holes in the nose and in the mansard section of the roof need to be painted yellow,
As do the door handrails again a paint pen will do the trick.
the recessed sections behind the frame need to be painted matt black.
With a permanent black marker paint out the bogie frame holders.
Compare with the shot below.

The modified model is top left, note the difference in detail and hue.  The middle section of the roof and fans was washed with matt Black.

Grind up some chalks, deep red, yellow and dark grey, with a flat wide brush , rub the  mixture onto the bogies, and them to a lesser extent the body sides, and roof.  The nose will also need a vigorous application.
At this point every thing has not quite gone together, we need to mix all these colours in together.

 I use Acuflex acrilic paints for the final details, just so easy to work with.
Mix up a road grime colour using rail brown as a base, a Milwaukee orange, and a bit of grimy black until you have the right shade of desert grime.
Spray the nose and middle section of the roof lightly.
Heavy on the bogies, and cowcatchers.
With straight grime black, spray the bogies again, and feather away from the exhaust, this is very prominent, so this angle of exhaust trail has to be spot on, also on a downward angle, on the B end.
Final colour is Engine Black, run this from the exhaust as per the grimy black.
Finally spray the entire model with matt clear, be light as a heavy coating will turn semi gloss.
This will pull all those colours in and produce the model you are after.

Disassemble the model, put the glass back in place, side windows first, then the windscreen.
Put the light housing back in place.
Add the DCC chip of your choice.
Put the body back on the frame, add Kades No. 5s "because they work every time"

Now your DL is ready to start desert running and looks the part!

Here is some more comparison shots to get your creative side going.

Here is the end result on the roof not the spread of the exhaust and the  Humbrol 64 lifts the roof colour.

Both B ends

I hope I have inspired someone to give this a go.

Enjoy

Scott