As always WOW

Very, very convincing. When I grow up I want to weather just like you do Tom.

Awesome!

Tom,

Those look absolutely awful... and I mean that in the best possible way!

I'm speechless.

I'm speechless.

Very nice!

Great weathering, I especially like #2072!

Gorgeous!

Just really good stuff Tom! Now I'm going to go back and stare at them a little more.

WOW... I'm drooling again!

Ditto to what they said....

I second the Wows! I've always been a fan of your weathered covered hoppers Tom, but combine that weathering with Alcos...that's a formula for a spectacular model...

Two thoughts.....

1) If you do another L&HR patch remember that the #25 and #26 had left for the British Columbia Railway well before Conrail, and

2) With Atlas bringing in LIRR C420s sometime in the near future, have you thought about a patched high nose C420?

Just trying to cause some trouble with the second one...

Mike

Just beautiful

More really wonderful stuff, Tom. Like Kevin and Jason, I find myself staring at the pictures repeatedly and it seems I find something new every time I look. Quick question: did you weather the frames and cab/hood assemblies separately or were they fully assembled? Somehow or another, we've got to convince you to do an article for MRH on your weathering techniques.

Tom Patterson

Looks great

Great job on the weathering. It looks very realistic. You should do a how to post or article on weathering.

Awesome weathering

Wow! Awesome weatheing. I´m modeling Conrail last days and it woul be great to watch a video of the Conrail C420 switching in your layout.

Nice work

Nice work! C420s and U25Bs are my favourite locomotives.  You've done a great job all around on these models.

-Hunter

Thanks guys!

Thanks guys for all of your kind comments.  I enjoy sharing my theme, era, and the simplicity and ease of modeling a narrow shelf railroading.  I also enjoy sharing the best I can my techniques.  There's always room to build a railroad if you can settle on a narrow shelf.  :o)

Tom.  I took my Atlas C420's apart.  It really wasn't all that hard to do.  I removed the handrails (carefully!!!!!), and pulled the body off of the walkway section.  Again, not hard but take your time.  Then I divided up the hood into its three parts (long hood, short hood/low nose, and cab).  I started the whole thing by spraying on some Floquil Rail Tie Brown mixed with some Engine Black.  Then I wiped it off using a Q-tip dipped in turpenoid.  Turpenoid does not harm the factory paint and lettering.  Just don't scrub and scrub and scrub.  It comes off quickly with the Q-tip so no need to scrub.  Then I take a flat end brush and clean up the weathering even more with the turpenoid.  Spray a coat of Testor's Dullcote and then apply the oil paint washes, more Dullcote, and then oil drybrushing.  I finish with some small brush detail work and some feathering with my thinned Floquil paints using an airbrush.  That's about it.  I'll try to take some step by step photos on the next one.  It's hard to explain my techniques without you seeing it done in person.   Since I'm a retired art teacher, I'm more of a "visual" person.  I learn by seeing it done in person.

Mike.  I knew about the 25 and 26.  That's why I chose 29.  I think 29 did eventually find its way to the D&H originally for parts?  They decided to put her back into service.  The fun part of prototype freelancing is I can put a small twist into history and have #29 find its way to my railroad before Conrail renumbered her and going to the D&H.  I thought about putting a Conrail number on my C420 but decided to stick with the L&HR number just to keep things simple.   I do plan on purchasing one of the LIRR HH C420's.  Your not causing trouble.  :o)  I just have the disease!

AzBaja.  You said:  "No reason to post anything I do???"   Please don't say that.  Everyone should feel good about sharing their work.  Just remember that I had to learn a lot of this stuff too.  I picked up ideas long ago from Bill Darnaby.  I also learned some cool stuff from Jim Six.  I just didn't magically go "poof!" and there's a weathered engine in front of me.  Sure, being an art teacher an artist helps.  Just being honest BUT I did learn a lot my weathering techniques from others.  Some of these "learned" techniques I use directly even today and some I applied my own twist to the technique learned to meet my own needs.  A lot of what I do I learned from trial and error too.  I just simply practiced on junk models to find new ideas.  I'm 61 and have been doing this for a long time.  So, anyone can do this stuff "in time."    PRACTICE!  PRACTICE!  PRACTICE!  :O)

Like I said, I'll try to take some pictures the next time.  I'll work on that video too.  

Tom 

Ooookay... now I want to try doing this...

I mean, seriously, those look truly awesome. My standard gauge is traction, what little I have, so perhaps I will have to weather my narrow gauge diesels like that...

Very convincing

I've seen way too many heavily weathered locos that look like, well, engines with a lot of weathering. But those two genuinely look like genuine heavily used veterans. Superb work. It would be fun for that L&N unit you're doing next to make it ex-Monon/ex-L&N; with the L&IN it could be back plying some of its original home trackage from when it was new in the '60's!

L&N C420

I don't know.  I'm thinking about leaving it in original L&N 1980's paint.  It's that solid gray unit with yellow block L&N on the long hood and the number is 1300.  In the 80's, this unit was repainted into that stealth gray scheme and no yellow nose.  Just the red logo.  I picked it up off of ebay pretty cheap.  I've seen lots of second and third hand power on short lines with nothing being painted or patched.  This at least allows me to throw in a little bit of prototype modeling within my proto freelanced railroad.  )  Tom

Headlights

Tom, What are you using for headlights? These look as realistic as anything I've ever seen.  Thanks, Kyle

MV lenses.

Kyleh24.  I'm old school in this regard.  I use MV lenses and DC power.  The regular Atlas plastic lenses are still in the cab and the long hood end.  They are recessed just enough to apply the MV lenses.  I can remove them easily if I decided to convert to DCC.  Not sure I'll ever do that.  My DC is all I need to run ONE train out and back each day.  I get flawless operation out of my DC system with no stalls and it's simple.  It does a great job with my required slow speed operation.  My sound runs through 9 speakers spread out from one end of my layout to the other end under my narrow shelves.  It's an old PBL sound system that runs from a hand held radio control.  I can run the sound independently from my throttle that powers the loco which is really cool.

I do have an EASYDCC system from CVP Products new in the box.  I will hook it up someday while leaving my DC hooked up too.  I'll just switch the wires over from one to the other.  I'll have the best of both worlds if I so desire.  No, they both won't be wired to the railroad at the same time.  I know better than that.  LOL!!!  )

Tom 

Re: Alcos

Thanks for the explanation, Tom. There was a step-by-step diesel weathering clinic on another forum and the gentleman used the same process. He weathered several factory decorated locos by disassembling them first. The results were incredible, and it's apparent that it would be much easier to streak the sides of the hoods without the hand railings in place. I have two Atlas GP38's factory decorated for the L&N on the workbench getting Tsunami's installed, and I have disassembled the shells for painting. I'm going to try some of your techniques once the units have been painted. However, I think I'll practice on an old shell first...

Thanks again for sharing your work and your techniques.

Tom Patterson

Very Nice Indeed

Very nice work indeed! I love the L&HR RR and hate to see their logos and lettering defaced, but you did a great job doing it!!

You win.

You win. Congratulations!   I'm going home.   I need to practice more!!!!

The only things in your photos that can remotely say "model" are the white background on the first group of pics, and the spike detail on the landscaped pics.  EVERYTHING else looks real.

There aren't enough superlative to do these justice!  Awesome!

Superior!! Love those L&n

It doesn't have to be black!

Interestingly you've convinced me that not all Alco's have to be (late NKP)black or RS11's! Regarding DCC , sound chips were made for Alco's (sorry EMD fans)so consider converting .I only have a 10ft plank, one loco in operation layout but the sound of an RS1 puttering around brings it to life,with 20odd Alcos to chose from only ,a handful will be sound chipped with an an RS11 next.Since seeing your C420's my C424/5's for gone into storage,if traffic picks up I'm sure they'll be back in service.Sadly I can find only 2 C420's forsale here in the UK at the moment and thier both black,Piedmont and NW so the old credit card might be getting some use,you can never have to many Alco's!I always find weathering black locos harder though .Keep 'em rolling i need someones work to aspire too.

YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME!!!!

Just plain sick. Can I send you some of my equipment to transform into some of this beauty?

Outstanding...