Flat Car Deck Weathering

I was looking at a few of my flat car models recently and found some of the decks to be rather vanilla or monotonous looking, like the one shown above. I decided to try an experiment on a couple to see what I could do to improve things. I took the SP F-70-7 shown above as well as an I-GN 50-ton AAR flat car that I finished a few years back, based upon the stunning Pittsburgh Scale Models kit. 

Using artists' oils thinned with mineral spirits, I highlighted individual boards in various shades of greys, yellows and reddish-oranges (grey, umber, sienna, ochre, etc.) on both decks. Yes, they look starkly different at the point of these photos. The I-GN deck is illustrated above, while the SP is shown directly below. They are laser cut wood and styrene, respectively.

After applying the oils, I sealed those with a coat of Tamiya XF-86 clear flat, thinned and airbrushed. I then blended these various boards through application of PanPastel Raw Umber, Orange Shade, Yellow Ochre, and Yellow Ochre Shade followed by Bragdon's Grimy Grey. Everything was again sealed with the Tamiya clear flat coat.

I think the final results look suitably variable without too much differentiation. I also think that the photos do not convey the overall feel as well I would have liked.

Images from PRM Vol. Four

Cover photo of Jim Dufour's layout of the Cheshire Branch of the Boston & Maine

I know that not everyone out there will buy a copy of Prototype Railroad Modeling Volume Four. However, I am sure that many people out there appreciate seeing photos of finished models, so I am sharing some of the photos of the work that is included in the articles that either profile how to make these models or in the case of Jim Dufour's layout, his overall attention to detail and accuracy. Enjoy.

B&O M-15K as kitbashed by George Toman

Two kitbashed PFE R-40-14 reefers from Athearn and Intermountain models

NYC Lots 693-B end door box car and 742-B box car, as kitbashed

AAR 50-ton flat cars from, back to front, Pittsburgh Scale Models, WestRail, and Proto 2000

The Tichy flat car detailed as an NC&StL FM9