Weathering track

[Sirfoldalot]

Gene: Bingo!

 

[autocoach]

I bought a Testors Make Your Own marker kit for acrylic paint, which is what I prefer to use. I also bought a bottle of Testors Model Master rust color paint. View attachment 28084

The marker is very easy to assemble. Clear directions are on the back of the package. Instead of diluting the paint 4:1, however, I diluted it 1:1. I did that to try and tone down the overpowering (to me at least) red color of the rust.
View attachment 28085

My test subject is a piece of flex track. I colored both sides of each rail. The marker worked fine, but I had to apply a lot of paint to get good coverage on the web of the rail. I also thought that the excess on the tie plates was a bit much. Overall, it's OK.

The color of the paint is certainly darker than the Polly Scale I have. I wish Testors hadn't discontinued that!
As stated, the marker worked fine. The paint flowed quickly and evenly. Maybe it's just my technique, but I thought that getting good coverage on the web of the rail took a good bit of paint. I may have to try apiece with brush included with the marker and see how that works.

Goes along with a do it yourself spray paint that I bought but have not yet tried.

 

[Iron Horseman]

How many people feel the need to at least grime up your track on your layout, if not do a complete weathering job? My benchwork is now 90% complete and I am just wondering if doing such a thing is necessary?

I would suppose the answer to that would depend on whether you are building a running layout or a photographing layout. At an operationally oriented club I belonged to, we ran for 15 years without any ballast, let alone grime or weathered rail.