Just off the workbench: PC 9633

The newest addition to my small collection of locomotives to operate at the paper plant on my layout is this Atlas S2. It’s a sound-equipped model that I painted, lettered, and weathered with acrylics, powders, and graphite pencil. I made an attempt to model the paint chipping along the frame, revealing white frame stripe that was part of its former NYC paint scheme. Also of note is the non-standard application of the corporate logo: the words Penn Central do not appear on the locomotive hood, and the numerals were applied using old NYC stencils.

The above photo represents the most accurate depiction of the prototype that I can muster with my collection. The prototype locomotive and caboose were both assigned at North Tonawanda yard. In the photo below, 9633 pulls a cut of boxcars across the switch to the bulk coal storage area.

 

Green Team SW1 8470

I’m pushing to get the paper plant section of my layout to the point where I can operate regularly. Part of that effort involves completing a few different switchers. I finished one tonight, and another is on the work bench getting closer to being ready. Presenting PC SW1 #8470:

It started as an undecorated Walthers SW1. The paint and decals were straightforward. Getting the weathering right is still a work in process. The key feature of this locomotive’s charm is the fact that the road numbers are in New York Central font, and the NYC logo is beginning to reveal itself from beneath pealing paint on the side of the cab. The intention was to depict this locomotive nearing the point of being scrapped.

Weathering was done with artist oils, acrylics, powders,  and 8B graphite pencil. There will be some final touches applied when the supplies and parts arrive, but it’s ready for service on the layout.

Ontario Northland Boxcars – Some Weathering

I like using photographs to check the progress of my weathering. Not sure how I feel about how this one is shaping up, but most of what’s on it can come off again. So far, I’ve done a fade with white acrylics, some streaking with grime coloured acrylics, and some rust and grime buildup with powders. This is the first non-practice model on which I’ve used artist acrylics for weathering. I’ve been using oils for a while. I like the fact that acrylics speed things up nicely.

Ore Car Assembly Line Continues

I haven’t worked on these cars for quite some time, but progress on the scenery at the Victoria Mine Switch scene on the Webbwood sub of the WRMRC layout inspired me to push ahead.

Jurgen Kleylein suggested a novel approach to weathering these cars. Following his lead, I’m proceeding to apply a grungy colour to each car, from the underside up to about halfway up the car. This will go onto the car before the lettering. I’ll work on these again later in the week, so there will be an update on the details. Stay tuned.

More: Track as a Model

My previous post was about track as a model on my layout. This time I’m posting some pics of another area on my layout where I spent some time trying to build track as a model.

In this case, the rails are embedded into concrete. I’ve posted a photo of this same space previously, but I hadn’t finished the concrete yet. My aim with this scene is to represent a space deep inside an industrial plant where the concrete pad has been in place for a long time and repaired with concrete, asphalt, and cold-patch. In other words, I’m going for a pretty worn appearance. I spent some time weathering the concrete pad with a couple of different media. Have a look at the finished product:

The photo above was taken from what I consider to the typical “photographing” angle, or the angle I’ll use most often to photograph the layout. This is slightly above HO scale eye-level.

The photo above is the same location as the first photo, but the camera is slightly higher. This represents how the operator would apprehend the layout.

Obviously, the front edge of the concrete pad has yet to be blended into the surrounding scenery. When I was preparing these photos for the blog, I noticed that the colour temperature seems off. I’ve learned that off-white or bone colours are difficult to accurately reproduce with the equipment I have. But for reference, the tank car in both photos has very small areas that are painted white.