Track Weathering

 Its now mid August and the process to get all the newly installed track weathered has been completed. I found it a bit tedious as the track was installed back in June and its seems like it has taken me a long time to get this done. I guess due to the fact that I only spent a couple of hours per week on it for the last month and a half is the reason. Summer is definitely not model railroad season for me! I used the same techniques for weathering the track as I used back when I built the layout and it had On30 track initially - after the track was painted and installed, (and here's the scary part) I used suede colored craft paint to paint every tie. Next comes "painting" the rail (again) with a color made as a slurry of Rust colored weathering power and 70% rubbing alcohol. This was applied to both sides of the rail and to the tie plates as well - at this point ( see picture below) you will look at the track and think to yourself  "What the hell have I done!!!" but bear with me. After that, go back with the suede craft paint and a square tipped brush and touch up the ties, especially around the tie plates. Let this dry for a day or 2 before proceeding.

Once the paint dries and the track looks terrible, the next step happens which really is the transforming piece of the weathering process. Take a soft brush ( use one that you don't mind destroying - as after this you probably wont use it again) and apply a liberal dusting of soot black weathering powder over the entire track. Then you want to use a sprayer that can produce a very fine mist and mist down the track with 70% alcohol and watch what happens!!!.  The weathering aspect is then complete.

Next the track can be ballasted using a normal method that I described on my blog entry back on 22 Jan titled "Sharing". As a final touch, I spray the track and ballast with a India Ink/ alcohol mix. Be sure and give your track rail heads a good cleaning afterwards to get anything off the railheads to ensure good electrical conductivity for your locos. As mentioned all these steps add up to a time consuming process, but I am happy with the way my track looks afterwards. Our track is a model too and it deserves to not have a toy like shiny appearance that distracts viewers of our model railroads. Till next time...

Track after seude painted ties and rust colored rails

Track after dusted with black weathering powder and misted with alcohol

Final appearance of ballasted track 

Change is good

 Hi folks - well as I mentioned on my last post, I wanted to share some big news for the Nottingham Subdivision - I have decided to revert back to HO scale ( from On30) for my home layout. I will continue to be a member of the On30 modular group that I have belonged to for the last 10 years or so , but have spent considerable time thinking about my direction for my home layout. Although On30 locos and rolling stock are not much bigger than HO scale, the big thing for me given my space constrains was structures. O scale structures are generally 4 times the volume of HO and so I came to the conclusion that I just don't have the space to continue down the O scale road. I have spent the last month ripping up my old On30 trackage and turnouts and they have been replaced with H scale Peco code 83 flextrack and # 5 and #6 turnouts. I liked the track configuration that I have for On30, so no changes were made there. The new track was painted Camo dark brown after it was cut to size and soldered ( remember to leave every third piece unsoldered for expansion purposes). Once that was done I used DAP clear colored sealant to fix the track to the existing N scale roadbed (this was a new method for me). Next I will be adding Caboose Industries ground throws to activate the Peco turnouts - an easier method is just using your finger to push the switch points themselves, but I didn't like the idea of pushing on those parts, as I think over time the stress on them will take a toll. Once that is done I will be further weathering the track before ballasting. In between this I have managed to be able to build one good sized structure and have just received another kit that I have ordered from Otter Valley Railroad. By this fall I hope to have the layout back to "normal" with everything being HO scale at that point. Below is a picture of what I have done so far and the first loco ( and boxcar) to ride the new rails. Till next time....