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Track Weathering Part 1

Image of MARTIN LOVELL MARTIN LOVELL explains how to improve the look of your rail tracks.

One of my bugbears at model railway exhibitions is the cleanliness of track on layouts, especially around engine sheds.

It sometimes looks as though the area can be used as an operating theatre, rather than a place where locomotives are coaled or oiled - two ways of spreading dirt and grime just about everywhere in the area!

So, having laid our ballast as described in a previous article, how can we improve the look of the track?

There are various options, either by using a grimy wash, such as Humbrol washes or mixing powder paint in with the ballast to give the effect of locos dripping dirt, coal dust and oil over a period in time.

The rails themselves - even when first laid - are subject to a patina of rust which over time discolours due to a build up of dirt, brake dust etc, which gives an overall dark brown colour; not the light brown rust commonly seen. (Humbrol no. 173).

We do, of course, have to keep the running surfaces clean, as this would otherwise affect the pickup of the electricity required for running our locomotivess, but this is reflected in the highly polished top surface of the running rails in real life.

Track Weathering 04a.

See how the clean new shiny track, in the midground, compares with the weathered and ballasted track in the foreground of this model layout

The sleepers themselves, both wooden and concrete, also become discoloured over time, so Railmatch Sleeper Grime can be dry brushed onto the plastic sleepers to improve the look. In the case of concrete sleepers, a general 'grime' will represent the general effect. Have a look at the real thing to see how the dirt and grime blend in.

Let's have a look now at the real thing:

Track Weathering 01.