LGB 3280 Pennslyvania (Red ones with curtains) weathering roofs

[blk69]

Hello. I recently added a few used LGB 3280, 3281 and 3285 to my collections, very good condition. The Red ones with the printed curtains.
I am concidering weathering the edges of the roofs like the older starter set like this, coaches (3011)

Reason concidering this is IMO the shinny silver roofs look to clean. Perfer the shoot stained look. Inquiring if any one has done this and if so, after a few years are they still happy with the change? Cars will be luninated with an LED light kit, run outdoors (stored inside). Also just concidering painting the roofs a flat black. Before I break out the spray paint, curious what others have done.

 

[stevedenver]

Yes i have. I use gloss black enamel. Fully black roof, that is.

Why gloss? Better adhesion and resistance to the elements.(i think..no objective testing).
Downside, its black. Here in Colorado, summer heat and high UV combined with black is a recipe for possible damage.

Black, imho, has a nice snappy contrast, yet looks appropriate, imho.

Need to remove the clerestory glass, a bit tricky, but doable.

I happen to use these prr cars for my dspp/denver leadville and gunnison cars, simply re-shot the letter boards. Close enough to give the idea.

Another option would be red oxide,(or other dark reds) or some shade of grey, roofs. More prototypical for some railroads, but, a bit unusual. Ive got some cars, eureka and palisades, lgb’s nevada central, with cream or palomino tan, respectively, roofs, buff bodies….definitely has an old time ‘look’…not sure if that would work with the tuscan red .

Again, flat paints, in my experience can flake after a period, depending upon conditions. Gloss dulls (well actually,it just gets a bit dusty) sufficiently, imho, fairly quickly when you run outside. Fwiw, dull cote too seems to not do too well with exposure and time.

As for striping the edge, per lgb, i have avoided this, as getting a straight line and consistent’feathering’ is way more difficult than you might expect. You could try, and always make it solid if you’re not happy. Assuming you’re using a can, and not a fine model spray gun, The problem, as i see it, is that in order to contain the spray area, youd need to spray very close, which , unless you move very quickly, will result in runs. The ‘shading’ is critical, imho, to make the edge color not look like some inexplicable stripe. In fact, if youve ever seen the early lgb drgw yellow coaches, they have a very dark bit of shading. To my eyes, these just didn’t look right. The prototype coaches, as far as ive ever seen , simply had uniform dull silver grey roofs, even after decades.

I suppose you could try to lightly mist the top. Id be reluctant to trust a hardware store can for light spray.
I think, using artists chalk, and dusting with a brush, then fixative, might be the simplest option. I have done this frequently, no fixative, and despite fingerprints etc., it works and is entirely reversible.


For some reason, i actually like the curtains…different.

While for years i was sold on only using fine pigment model spray paint, flo-quil, tamaya, railroad colors, etc. i am now using regular old krylon or rustoleum. Tamaya is superb…a bit pricey. Very smooth and fine, but very thin as well.While typically the hardware store paints nozzles are not as fine a spray, the paint is still mineral, great coverage, and, with practice, and light coats, i can get an almost perfect finish. Way cheaper too.

Good luck

 

[stevedenver]

Op
I thought a bit last night.

Simple solution, imho, 91% alcohol mixed with higgins black magic ink.
Make a wash. Test. This will slightly darken/dull your roofs.
Most of it will run off. I moisten the entire roof surface when i darken roofs.

This is non-reversible. And, do not get blue-black ink, or water soluble ink.

 

[maxi-model]

Old trick, and pretty much how they do it in the factory, is use a "soft mask". Looking at your LGB coaches a strip of card/plastic/metal would be held/placed a couple centimeters above and covering the area of the clerestory part of the roof. Then an "airbrush" gun would be wafted about 20 cm above in a straight path across the length. It would be set at a slightly lower air pressure than normal. It needs practice to get the effect you are looking for. Paint types? I have used auto spray cans for this effect, but you need to be sure what you are spraying onto, the plastic substrate and any top finishes (gloss/matt coatings) will not react with it. That goes with any type of paint you plan to use, always test on a hidden bit. The ones to avoid, as Steve suggests, are matt finishes, but really only the enamel based paint types. Auto paint chemistry is a little different to regularly used hobby paint types and will bond (this is where paint compatibility gets important) to the surface it is sprayed on to. It is made that way to allow the build up paint depth and durability in its regular application. Auto paint cans operate, at room temperature, at quite a low pressure. Which is why when I use them for what they are supposed to do I warm them up in hand hot water before using, useless otherwise if you want a good "finish". Don't do this here, you want to make use of this "poor" characteristic, as supplied. As I said practice, or just leave well alone. Max

My "industrial" Sata air brush and what it is powered off. Looks a bit different to what most people recognise as an airbrush set up.