by John W. Paulus

Created on: March 19, 2008

Weathering refers to the process of making a model train appear to have been exposed to the elements, or to have the appearance of age and use. Weathering gives a new dimension of realism to a model train. In some cases, a collector may even choose to severely weather a model train, going so far as to damage the train body to make it appear to have derailed or have been damaged in some other way.

Weathering model trains can be done in many ways. You can use a dry-brush process, for example. When dry-brushing, you start by putting a small amount of paint onto a paint brush. You will want to use a dark brown paint to simulate dirt for this process, or you may choose to use an almost-black dark gray to simulate soot from a coal engine. You then wipe off that paint, leaving only a small amount of paint in between bristles on the paintbrush. After this, you take the paintbrush and very lightly brush it across the base of the train's body. This will cause small amounts of paint in an uneven pattern to be transferred from the brush to the train. This is, perhaps, the most common way to go about weathering model trains.

Another way to weather model trains is to use a copper-colored paint wash. You can dilute this paint with a paint extender. You will then soak your brush in the watery paint. After that, you use the brush to "wash" your train's body. This process will cause the rust-colored paint to go into the nooks and crannies of your train's body, giving it the appearance of rust.

When weathering model trains, there are some things to keep in mind. First, you will want to remove the body of the model train from the chassis. You will also want to remove any decals from the model train to keep them from becoming damaged. You will also want to, if possible, practice your weathering techniques on an inexpensive or nonfunctional model train before doing it on your good quality collectible trains. Finally, remember that you can't undo weathering; once your train has been weathered, you'll have to repaint it in its entirety to get rid of the weathered look.

Finally, you should also know that some manufacturers have begun to sell alternative versions of popular model train cars that already have the appearance of being weathered. If you aren't comfortable weathering model trains yourself, you might consider this option.

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