This week I finished up my track work for Bydemill by rusting the rail webs and chairs.
I used an old brush to apply a rust-coloured powdered pigment from Vallejo to the chairs, then scrubbed it into chairs and webs. I then removed the excess pigment – including the stuff that had landed in the ballast – using an air blower (the kind that substitutes for compressed air cans, and is used for cleaning computer keyboards among other things).
With the pigment applied, I then cleaned the tops of the rails. I’m pretty pleased with the results.
(The pigment sticks well when scrubbed into place, but will disappear if I get the rails wet so I’ll place thick card stock over the track when doing scenery work.)
One thing that’s apparent when I look at photos of British railways is that the rust on the rails is brighter than what I’m used to in North America. Maybe it’s the recipe used in the steel, or the salt air that would be more prevalent in an ocean-bound nation, or both. In any case, Vallejo has a good selection of rust hues, and I think the dry pigment adds a nice texture to the rails that mixed paint cannot duplicate.
I’m also pleased that I had no issues with my first train over the finished rails. Points threw properly, and the locomotive rolled smoothly and surely at low speed on every track.
Time to run more trains!
The Model Railway Show 