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September 15th, 2008 admin Leave a comment Go to comments

How To Weather Model Train Scenery

When it comes to weathering, most people only consider the trains and not the model train scenery. If you are purchasing buildings from a store, you will want to weather them as well in order to keep with the appearance. After all, it will look odd for the weathered train to be traveling through a pristine environment. If the train is traveling through the city, the train and the city should both look just as worn by smog and graffiti artists in order to make it look as real as possible.

The first thing you can do in order to weather model train scenery is to use a mixture of paint thinner and a dark gray paint. This paint should be mixed into an airbrush gun in order to spray a light coat of paint that looks like it has been accumulating for years. The best way to apply the paint is in wide sweeping motions side to side. Make sure the room is well ventilated before attempting anything of this sort. For best results, do not try to finish the weathering all at once. Apply one coat, allow it to dry and then apply a second coat. Use as many coats as you feel necessary to create just the right look.

Another city element you may want to add to your model train scenery is graffiti. You can buy different pieces of graffiti from the hobby shop, or online. The graffiti you buy will be in a decal form, so you may want to spray it with the same formula you used on the building it will be on. This will cover the edges and give the graffiti the worn look it usually has in the city. Graffiti is also a good addition to trailer cars. It gives the appearance the cars have been docked in the city rail station for a period of time.

Rail stations that are a part of desert scenery should have a look as if they have seen many different sand storms over the years. A good way to accomplish a sand worn appearance is to shoot sand at the structure. Mix together fine grain sand and water in the bowl of your airbrush gun and use it to blast the structure. Sanding the structure may be too harsh as you can simply scrape the paint off rather than adding a look of wear. Another good element in these conditions is to airbrush on a medium brown color to the metal roof in order to give the rusted over look expected in the climate.

Creating realistic looking model train scenery is an endeavor every model railroader has. It is a skill, which has to be learned over time in order to get it exactly right. The best way to learn is to find as much information as possible about weathering and creating your own structures. Practicing what you learn is the ultimate way to learn. Have fun and explore new ideas you may have in order to decide which methods work best for you.

About the Author

David Blackburn has had a passion for Model Trains for over 20 years. His enthusiasm and knowledge on the subject of model trains can be found in his writing and his new book. For more great information on model train scenery visit his site at: http://www.modeltrainsadvice.com. While you are there make sure you sign up for his FREE "Secrets
To Successful Model Railroading" Mini Course.

Graffiti Decals