Here I am attaching .020 styrene rod to the car. I left the nut bold washers in place during the removal process to help locate and position the replacement grabs. When attaching these, it is best to use an aggressive cement to glue them to the body. It will dissolve the paint on the model and make it easy to attach the rod. Otherwise you should scrape away some paint from the attachment point to help the rod stick to the model.

Here is the other car that I am starting the weathering process. I have applied a fade wash as taught by Gary Christensen using craft acrylic paints. The color I used was Delta Ceramcoat Bridgeport grey. I mixed it to a proportion of 20 to 30 parts paint to water about the consistency of skim milk. I also added one drop of acrylic paint flow aid to help avoid the paint beading up on the car sides. I only did this side and the roof for now.

I also painted the trucks, couplers, and wheel sides with a witches brew of acrylic paint that i mixed in a small bottle. What i'm trying to get is a grey/brown color. The perfect mix is if you have dificulty telling if it more gey or brown, but its not critical. This application of paint brings out the beautiful truck detail and eliminated that inky black truck that dissappears on the model. It also serves as a base coat for future weathering.

To duplicate the rust damage on the side of the car I use MIG oilbrushers. These oils are self contained in a tube with a very fine brush applicator. A number of colors are available. Following the prototype pictures I make a bunch of dots using the colors shown.

Then using Bragdon weathering brown and some brown and black Pan Pastels with a stiff brush I stipple the powders into the still wet oil paint. Once this dries I will come back with MIG or AK enamels and add weathering per the picture. I should add that before I started weathering I added the COTS and ACI decals.

I appreciate the how-to posts!  It’s always interesting to see how others do things and I usually pick up new techniques.  For example, I didn’t know about the OilBrushers...sound like a great tool.

What did you use on the trucks so far?  They don't appear to be black plastic any longer but I assume you do more weathering on them as on the finished model.  A lot of these covered hoppers finished their days as sand hoppers for both glass making sand and foundry sand.  I recall seeing a B&O lettered car well into the 21st century and about the only original lettering remaining was the capitol dome herald.

Robert

Robert,

I mix up a jar of a witches brew of acrylic paints. I try to make it a grey brown color. I paint this on the trucks, couplers and wheel faces as a neutral base for further weathering. The trucks now jump out at you.

LVRALPH,

Thank you for your post.  I would be interested in seeing your step-by-step approach to weathering the PS-2.

You do great work!.

Carl