You guys do great work, especially on a short work month. However, the link on page 16 that shows as <http://www.rail-groupchicago.org/CCOR.html> is malformed. It should be <http://www.railgroupchicago.org/CCOR.html> . No dash between rail and group. Since it is split over a line rap, I suspect that an computer driven editor put the dash/hyphen in when the long "word" was split over two line.

Dick

Further to the question about weathering, or painting rail, I find the simplest method is to spray paint the rail after installation, but prior to ballasting. When the track is down, simply spray it an appropriate colour (I use Tamiya TS1 Red-brown which gives a nice rusty look) then later add and glue down the ballast. This is a much easier and far quicker way than painting the individual rails with a brush. I run a piece of cork over the rail head immediately after spraying, then use a  Peco track rubber when it's dry to do a proper clean up. To minimise overspray, hold a piece of cardboard vertically behind the track in one hand while spraying with the other. You can put a piece of masking tape over the points if you wish, although I now spray right over them as I've found that cleaning between the point and stock rails is enough to get them working properly again, and they've never given any trouble. It helps that you should spray more or less horizontally, so that little paint gets into the gaps. Furthermore you only have to do the side of the rail that faces the viewer.

Several other members of our N scale club use this method with excellent results. Spraying can be done after the landforms are fashioned, but before the ground is painted or detailed. Ground treatment is then carried out and ballast added last of all so that it covers the join between ground cover and track.

Cheers

Tony in Victoria, Australia

I spray the track -- both the rails and ties -- with PolyScale RR Tie brown. Running a piece of masonite on edge over the tops of the rails gets the worst of the paint off before it sets. I use a brite boy to get the rest off later. I finish the rails using a Floquil "rust" paint marker.

When airbrushing you need to do it from four angles to get all surfaces of the ties and rails. I also dilute the paint about 2 parts paint to 1 part 70% iso alcohol to make it go farther -- paint is getting expensive!

I ballast after the airbrushing and use the rusty paint markers after ballasting.

Charlie