question on weathering locomotives

[packer]

I'm planning to use an airbrush to do some weathering on some locos in the coming weeks. I haven't actually done a loco before, so I'm curious if I'm supposed to pull the handrails off before airbrushing?

[Baikal]

Mar 29, 2024 7:21:28 GMT -8 packer said:

I'm planning to use an airbrush to do some weathering on some locos in the coming weeks. I haven't actually done a loco before, so I'm curious if I'm supposed to pull the handrails off before airbrushing?

Final weathering with railing on because that's the way the prototype would have weathered.  But it's sometimes easier to get to surfaces without the railings in the way.  And railings might cause airbrush "shadows".

Multiple layers using different weathering methods works great.  Practice on something you don't care about first.  Lots of tutorials on YouTube.

[ernestbaron]

The handrails should stay on the model so this way they are uniformly weathered the same as the rest of the model. Think of it from a practical perspective that in the 
real world" the handrails and everything else are weathered. 

What I would do though is to mask off all cab windows, headlights, any any other lighting effects so this way they are still clear when you're done. You don't want to paint over your headlight lens. 

Hope this helps.

[gevohogger]

+2 to all of the above. If you're spraying it on so heavy the handrails cause shadows, you're doing it too heavy.

[packer]

Mar 29, 2024 7:53:57 GMT -8 ernestbaron said:

The handrails should stay on the model so this way they are uniformly weathered the same as the rest of the model. Think of it from a practical perspective that in the 
real world" the handrails and everything else are weathered. 

What I would do though is to mask off all cab windows, headlights, any any other lighting effects so this way they are still clear when you're done. You don't want to paint over your headlight lens. 

Hope this helps.

Should the numberboards get masked as well? (they aren't operable)

[drsvelte]

I generally remove the handrails, at least for the first pass, because it’s just easier for me (unless its brass!). On locomotives there are often louvers, panels, radiators, screens or other important details situated in the same plane directly behind the handrail stanchions. Unless you are particularly adroit with the airbrush, you might miss some coverage. I take them off to insure a consistent spray pattern over these details without potential voids or gaps. Its also harder to weather the running boards with the stanchions in the way. Then, when they're back on, I usually do a second pass with lighter fading or dusting.

It really can be done effectively either way, just whatever you’re most comfortable with. The key take-away is to practice on your junk shells or models.

[gevohogger]

Mar 29, 2024 11:08:17 GMT -8 packer said:

Mar 29, 2024 7:53:57 GMT -8 ernestbaron said:

The handrails should stay on the model so this way they are uniformly weathered the same as the rest of the model. Think of it from a practical perspective that in the 
real world" the handrails and everything else are weathered. 

What I would do though is to mask off all cab windows, headlights, any any other lighting effects so this way they are still clear when you're done. You don't want to paint over your headlight lens. 

Hope this helps.

Should the numberboards get masked as well? (they aren't operable)

Don't weather the numberboards. 

[mvlandsw]

I never cleaned anything except the windows and headlights/ditch lights on prototype locomotives. Number boards don't catch much dirt since they are up pretty high.

Mark Vinski