Let's Talk About FLATCARS: PART TWO

[Eastern Roads]

When we started the Flatcar PART ONE, I left with a picture of this car:BEFORE

AFTER:

Here's a few others for the thread:


So come along and see what I did to get this car to the finished product. Flatcars, and Gondolas are notorious for jumping the tracks when they're empty. Here's one of my solutions:

I went to a machine shop that was tossing these oversize needle bearings, and they wound up under the flatcar. You can use the double stick tape weights and paint them as well. Next let's do the deck, we need the raw material:

Then we need to make it look like ti's been out there awhile. I prefer paint pens, they leave no mess and there's no overspray. I highlight it first, then add another color.



Then after the wood is dry, we measure to fit. Look hard, the color of the deck wood is almost the same as the desk:


Then we cut the wood after measuring:

Make a bunch!! You'll use them!


Then we glue them down, I used a thick CA:


Then I trimmed the edges for any excess overhang. If you want it really looking beat up, leave some of the wood hang over. Use a razor knife of some sort.


Then color the edges to match the deck.

Done:



Here's another one: BEFORE

AFTER


Here is a picture of the Dull-Cote along with the chalk that I smeared on the deck before spraying. What a scary mess!



And another picture. Looks like a disaster right now, see what happens to it after we spray it and smear it with a brush:


So there you go, how I make 'em stay on the tracks, and get there after a few years out on the rails. Hope this helps someone a little nervous about changing the paint jobs on their cars.

One other little trick: Try the chalk on your rolling stock without spraying it, if you don't like it, use a damp cloth and wipe it off.

[TallDude]

Great thread and great tips Mike!!!

[Daryl]

nice use of the chalks Mike. are they an oil base type?

[LiveSteamer]

Mike that is awesome. Thanks for sharing that with us.

[CPrail]

Hey Mike
Love the before and after shots,great work looks awesome,love the look of weathered equipment.

Mike G

[Eastern Roads]

Hope this thread helps to give some confidence. I was scared to death when I saw weathering on freight cars and locomotives (I'm still getting over locomotives). When you drop a hunk of change on a piece of rolling stock, it looks great, and making it look like it's been out there (realistically) is one of those "mountains of fear" we have to climb in order to get to the next level of modeling!

We live in a world where we sometimes think we have to pay someone else for things, when we can do stuff in our own. This is the most forgiving method of weathering I found, and an even easier way is to use washes, which I neglected to mention I also used on the Western Maryland flatcar in the thread.

In response to Daryl- I found the chalks in an art supply store. They are NOT oil based. I'll give you the info from off the box: (you'll like the address)
Weber Costello marketing under the name Alpha Color. This product is the Square Pastels Earth Tones. Non-Toxic
The company shows two towns of origin: Troy, Missouri, & Mississauga ON.

Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!!

[RonP]

Great thread,

It really is a matter of jumping in with both feet isn't it. Don't worry about messing up, you can always remove paint somehow. Not trying new stuff is a tragedy as most of the time making it look fantastic is easier then it looks

[scratchbldr]

http://www.thewhistlepost.com/forums...0&d=1220209637

Well RATS!! I still don't get how to get the picture to show up!!
Anyway, I hope you don't mind me adding a flatcar to your thread. You mentioned unusual loads, here is one. When MDC brought out their Shay promotional cars, I got a set & decided that if Lima really wanted to promote Shays they might take one out west to demo. At 8 MPH it would take forever to get one anywhere so I built a flat car to take one out on. Here it is 4 trucks & all.

[scratchbldr]

I'd apprecite it if someone that knows how would get this car showing----- Please?

[hoscalemodeler1967]

got a link to the pic?