Essay
Copyright 2022 Nicholas Kalis
Photo 1 - Before Photograph (No weathering)
Copyright 2022 Nicholas Kalis
Photo 2 - After Photograph (Weathering Applied to Rails)
Yes, I realize this story has been told before but let's tell it one more time, this time in large scale (1:20.3).
Looking at my "before" photograph (Photo 1) of Oahu Sugar Company Engine Number Five (0-6-0), I realized something was amiss; my Llagas Creek Railways www.llagascreekrailways.com rails look almost out of the box. I realized my Fn3 (1:20.3) steel rails here required some weathering. Truth be told, this area of my Oahu Sugar Company layout was not originally intended to be scenicked, but scenic it I did - even including a backdrop.
So, in my "after" photo (Photo 2) readers can see I painted, using an old brush, my rails with Tamiya gray acrylic paint and added some Bragdon Enterprises Light Rust FF-61 using a Tamiya cotton swab 87106-260. I did these during a short work break (I work out of the home) so it was a bit of a quick- and-dirty effort but I can see the improvement.
Yes, I see my palm trees cast shadows on my backdrop but really that does not disturb me much - it is a model after all. Thanks go to my wife Kate for her wonderful painted backdrop on sheet styrene.
Take away from all this - photographs of our model railroad layouts help improve them. With iPhones being ubiquitous, we no longer have an excuse to shy away from photographing our layouts. Photographs shout out the flaws we may have overlooked. Whatever the scale, take photos of your layout as you progress and share them with friends as I did; it will improve your modeling as those photos will prod you to correct any shortcomings you see - it did for me. You might even get a compliment or two from your friends who see the progress you have made on your layout - even before your corrections.
Anyone interested in getting into indoor large-scale modeling should consider Llagas Creek track - it is perhaps the best commercially available track money can buy.
Bryan Dickson, Owner
Llagas Creek Railways
28 Carlisle Road
Claysville Pennsylvania 15323
724 986-5079
llagascreekrailways@gmail.com
Materials
Bragdon Enterprises Light Rust FF-61
Tamiya Cotton Swabs 87106-260
Tamiya Gray Paint
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