Weathering CN Gondolas with Pan Pastels

[TLOC]

Hello. I have CN gondolas that need some weathering. Purchased on 2/19/2022 at the MadCity Train show in Madison, Wisconsin. These are scheduled to replace 2 cars I had weathered and sold when in January I really thought of taking the layout down due to my health mentally and physically.

Here is what I purchased:

The plan is to weather all 4 and possibly sell 3 as I want to purchase 3 more Atlas‘s modern Reefer cars. I don’t need 4 gondolas and with the sell off out 2 older style reefers the Cold Storage building needs some cars.

I started off as i do every car. I brush washed the car with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. I then let it dry over night. Then I fade it with Tamiya x-21 base. Letting that dry for 2 hours at least or overnight being better. It drys into a chalk like finish which of course I have no picture of. But, the yellow

Conrail reefer shows what it looks like after it dries. I then brush it off. It provides a nice fade and a grippy surface for paints or Pan Pastels.

The next step is the interior:

Here is the exterior:

With the fading accomplished and the 1st covering, it is time to relax running some trains.

Based on the next layers and the blending of the various Pan Pastels to come this car will be very weathered but not have that “last stages of life” look. The goal is heavily used but not heading to pasture. The 1st loads being built is the metal shavings scrap load.

Here are pictures of a previously done cars with loads

Tom

 

[logandsawman]

Superb work, Tom. I am glad you spelled out the entire process for us!

Dave LASM

 

[TLOC]

Superb work, Tom. I am glad you spelled out the entire process for us!

Dave LASM

You are welcome

TomO

 

[TLOC]

Good evening, off to see Hairspray at the theater. Only the second Broadway traveling show we have been able to get to since 3/2020 due to the Pandemic.

But some weathering done this afternoon, all has been done with Pan Pastels with just a bit of water to do some wet blending.

Pictures are of the gondola interior and the base for the scrap steel shavings load being built.

TomO

 

[Rook]

Thank You for posting. They look very realistic.
James Ford

 

[TLOC]

Hello fellow weathering followers

getting close

Please, what do you think? Let me know with constructive criticism and advice.

The load is being created and the glue is drying…

TomO

 

[TLOC]

I have sealed the gondola and I consider it finished.

The next gondolas to be weathered have the Tamiya x-21 base applied. No pictures

I will post pictures when the metal shavings scrap load dries.

The next three loads will be:

1 of structural steel scraps of actual styrene scraps I never throw out
1 of bundled new railroad ties
1 of scrap steel but made I hope realistically with wood shavings

TomO

 

[TLOC]

For additional information and or just following along, as this thread is closed.

See the new thread:

Weathering rolling stock, a Continous thread

thanks for following along

TomO

 

[Rico]

Weathering Rolling Stock, a Continous thread

Hello fellow modelers with interests in painting and weathering. This will be my new spot. Instead of starting a new thread for each weathering project, they will be here. Pictures of rolling stock will be here. At this time I do not do locomotives. I encourage you to give Constructive...

modelrailroadforums.com

 

[NYC_George]

Tom, I see you got the weathering figured out.
George

 

[TLOC]

Tom, I see you got the weathering figured out.
George

It’s a learning process. thanks

TomO

 

[TLOC]

Good Sunday morning. We have returned to Wisconsin from the Midwest traveling adventures. About 3 days prior to leaving I received a box of gondolas from what is now a client. Yes, I will weather your cars for you. I didn’t start out that way but I did put up my duplicates on the FB sales sites at what I believe are reasonable prices. Then a FB friend loved my pulp cars and sent me some, then some more and then his club started doing that.

Anyway back to the gondolas.

As I wrote previously I start with a washing of Isopropyl Alcohol at 70, 91or 99%. These cars to be shown were done with 70%. The higher the % of IPA I feel the fade is deeper. I do this for cars being weathered with Pan Pastels or Arcylics. It also cleans the cars very well. I have just started playing with oils but I will still clean the cars with IPA

The only change from my normal procedures on these 3 cars was, I sprayed from an airbrush the IPA. I believe it worked out well and sure is a time saver. It definitely is easier on those delicate details!

Only one car received a custom load of metal shavings, the other 2 cars will be empty. I had done the IPA washing/fade and a couple coats of weathering with Vallejo Air burnt umber #71.040, prior to leaving. This was applied as many layers of a wash. The Vallejo Air was thinned with H2O at 60% water to 40% burnt umber. I use a flat brush and apply until it feels right! I then email the 1st time client the results for their approval.

The inside of car is done with the Vallejo panzer ace line #302 Dark rust, full strength stippled on. Then #301 light rust sparingly stippled on. Finally back to Vallejo Air #71.029 Dark Earth mixed as a 50/50 wash with H2O.

I finished these up last night just after midnight.

I am sure you have seen these posted before. I enjoy the gondolas and creating a load for them. Except for the wheels these were weathered with Pan Pastels.

TomO

 

[Rook]

Tom,
Excellent work as always. I really enjoy seeing how and what you are accomplishing.
Jim Ford

 

[TLOC]

Tom,
Excellent work as always. I really enjoy seeing how and what you are accomplishing.
Jim Ford

Thanks Jim.

TomO