Easy Weathering for Beginners (No Airbrush): N Scale Diesel Locomotive

How to weather model train locomotive | wethareing without airbrush | weathering with wash and pastel
In this video I showed my techniques of weathering by aging an N Scale diesel locomotive without using airbrush - The locomotive here is an N Scale Baldwin VO-1000 by Atlas Model Railroad Company. Weathering a locomotive is an essential part in Model Railroading towards achieving realism and in this video I show some easy to follow tips and tricks. If used properly these methods can provide excellent results even for a beginner. The items used in this video are very streight forward art supplies which should be available in any art or hobby shop around the world:
- Chalk Paint: littlebirdiecrafts.com/collec...
- Dry pastels: www.michaels.com/soft-pastels...
- Colored chalk: www.cretacolor.com/en/product...
Plus, demineralized water, dish washing soap and a couple of pencils.
I have used a few commercial hobby weathering supplies, namely,
- Testors Dullcote Lacquer: www.testors.com/product-catal...
- Testors weathering stain: www.testors.com/product-catal...
however, those can be replaced easily with locally available matte lacquer and homemade wash (the technique of which is described in detail in the video).
In addition, I showed a little clip of disassembling the sideframes of an N Scale locomotive, however, if you wish to see a complete guide, here is the full video: • Clean and Maintain an ...
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CREDITS:
Remember September by Freedom Trail Studio
Dream Lagoon by Chris Haugen

[@book1957]

Great video love your weathering , is also very helpful. I never have heard or seen chalk paint. What places sell this.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you, I am glad that it was helpful. Chalk paints are mainly used in home decor and furnitures and you can easily get them in Amazon. I've provided the manufacturer listing for the brand that I used - but once you get the idea about it, you can buy other brands depending on what's available near you. As long as it dries super matte but not grainy, it should work.

[@book1957]

@@TrainsandDioramas Thank you.

[@kevinb9327]

Two very nice jobs - the weathering and the video.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you Kevin! I'm glad that you enjoyed it. :) 🙏

[@lorriedmussett4692]

@@kevinb9327 I totally agree. There's alot of dioramas/model train KZbin channels with very talented people, if only they were as good at filming/editing their videos as they are with their main hobby. I have moved along fast to someone else simply when they ruin it with crappy video footage. Thx again!

[@hadynmcloughlin4661]

What a great video for the beginner for the hobby! thanks for sharing your skills and tips - off to the hobby shop!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Glad it was helpful! I have been using these techniques very regularly for last many years and they always deliver! Keri be posted about it progress.

[@michaelricks1618]

Finished loco looks terrific - so realistic. Thanks a lot for sharing such brilliant tips in an easy to follow video. Greatly appreciated!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

I’m so glad Michael! Weathering is a hobby within a hobby for me and I feel that it really gives a model a character and a story, and makes them relatable. Glad that this was helpful. Cheers! Kaustav

[@lorriedmussett4692]

Great video. I don't create things but LOVE watching you guys/gals that do! I especially love your humor including the ones that pop up in the corners with very funny, clever comments. I sometimes just catch it pop up and backup to see them again....it is always worth it... Again , its great humor. Love ur channel....keep the posts coming....

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thanks so much Lorrie! I find humor to be one of the most important things in life because end of the day if you cannot smile, laugh and be a bit silly it all seems very dull! I am a huge fan of British comedy - starting from 'Are You Being Served', 'Fawlty Towers' to very original Fry-Laurie-Atkinson genre. Puns, sattires and innuendos are the way to go, of corse in a cloak of subtlety! Thank you again for stoppnig by and I'm glad that I am able to keep you entertained. Cheers!

[@MrMontrose1967]

I followed what you did and was very impressed with the results. Thanks for the good advice mate.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

I am so pleased to know that it was helpful. Cheers! 🍻

[@SpottingWithSam]

You are my answer I’ve needed help on weathering and now I know how! Thanks!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Great to hear! I am glad that you found this helpful. Cheers! :)

[@keithgyles9826]

Great instructional video, thanks for sharing. Results look wonderful.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@GreatNorthwesternRwy]

Nice work! Very informative. Thanks for sharing the techniques. Cannot wait to try these out on a few projects.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Awesome! I'll be glad to hear how it turns out. :) Cheers and thanks for stopping by. 🍻🙏

[@baldpipesmoker1]

Awesome dude! I'm going to use these techniques. Thanks!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Super! I'm glad that you liked them and hope this transofrms your locomotives. Cheers!

[@DruSteel69]

Excellent video, Kaustav. Great results. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend. - Drew

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you Drew! I'm glad that you liked it. 😀 Hope you're doing well and keeping the positivity alive by having fun with models. Take care, man!

[@sunset_storm2898]

Lovely job, some great weathring tips there that I shall borrow!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Please feel free! That will make this video worthwhile. :) Thank you for stopping by. Cheers!

[@19scamps92]

This is super interesting! i've never ever heard of this technique before! i used acrylics and oils and enamel washes for years now but this was totally new to me. thanks for sharing! i really hoped it would be an HO locomotive :D great video thank you for your work! can't wait for the next one take care and stay safe!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

You're so welcome! There will definitely be HO coming up in future, specifally steam. I'm glad that you I could offer a different perspective to weathering for you. If you try it, then please keep me posted about the results. Cheers!

[@deltaflyer9078]

Amazing video, just what I needed!!

[@michaelcipres4228]

Awesome, awesome!! Just happened to come by your video and your technique caught my attention. Totally different! Never seen anything like this. Great tutorial to apply on my own trains. Really appreciate and enjoyed your demonstration. Thank you for sharing your talent. A friend, Mike

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you Mike, glad it was helpful! My theory is, as long as it looks right, technqiue is secondary. As I don't have access to the formulated products like MIG or AK, I make do with what I have access to, but what keeps me on track is keeping my eyes fixed on the end goal - how it 'should' lookm like. That's why following a particular prototype is the key. Find me on Facebook/Instagram and share your work. Cheers! Kaustav

[@_LLevi_]

Looks like a real one. Great work.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you very much, I am g;lad that you liked it. :)

[@andrewjditton]

Absolutely brilliant thank you Kaustav! Really, really useful. Thank you so much for making this video. 👍

[@TrainsandDioramas]

My pleasure Andrew! Glad it was helpful. Cheers! Kaustav

[@rottinone]

Great work and instructions, thank you

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you! Glad that you found this helpful.

[@donaldswink6259]

Excellent weatherproofing on that N scale locomotive.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you!

[@adityakoli2002]

Exactly what I was looking for Thanks ❤️

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Capt Køli 47 Glad that I was able to help. :)

[@sportjunk70]

Simple but effective, I like the pencil trick, not seen that before

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you! I am glad that you liked it and I could deliver something new for you. Cheers! :)

[@HumancityJunction]

I always enjoy your videos, but this one was particularly interesting.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Glad to hear it! Yeah, the methods here are somewhere in the 'no-man's land' between orthodox and contemporary, especially if you see them being used together. But in the end, it works out and provides a unique yet realistic effect. Thank you for taking your time to watch. Cheers! :)

[@mdmuar1532]

Awesome

[@edeaglehouse2221]

The result of your weathering was great. Your explanations and reasoning for your choice of materials and why you applied them made for an excellent and high quality instructional video. I loved it. ❤ Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you very much! I think without the right context any technique or method is vague at best, so I try to keep it as clear as I can. Glad that you enjoyed my work. Cheers! Kaustav

[@jurgenihlau4052]

very good handmade working!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thanks for the visit

[@joeystrains.9316]

Awesome 👍

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thanks 🤗

[@brtree74]

Great weathering. Enjoyed the video👍👍👍

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by. :)

[@j.s.connolly8579]

WOW this was REALLY a GREAT VIDEO! Well Done! :D

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you so much and I'm glad that you enjoued it. 🙏😀

[@nathanbrown4725]

well done mate

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thanks Nathan!

[@alexkimmell7320]

Loved the final results of this model, great work! I'm new to your KZbin channel, but when I saw some of your intro footage it reminded me of a forum post (trainboard, I think?) I followed probably close to 10 years ago; someone had a great project post building a pretty faithful Iain Rice plan to fit nicely in their apartment at the time. If I recall correctly, his wife built and detailed a beautiful fleet of cardstock ships for it. Am I looking at the same layout here?

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you so much Alex, and yes, you are absolutely looking at the same layout! Glad that you found me here. The layout moved to 6 different homes by now in 2 different cities and much of its wiring and infrastructures are in desperate need of an upgrade, so though it is still in my apartment it is not operational at the moment. But I made some interesting progress till 2018. At the moment the tracks are all ripped up because I’m converting it to DCC so that I can run my BLI paragon 4 rolling Thunder locos on it! There will be a big comeback of the good old Wrightsville Port in a few months’ time! I miss Trainboard and Nscale.net - too little time, to much to do. I’m working towards a long personal time off next year, perhaps I’ll get back to those old threads after the facelift of the layout. It’s always nice when long lost friends find you. Stay in touch. Cheers! Kaustav

[@redbarnz]

Nicely done video with a lot of good tips! Also you may want to explore colored pencils... !

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you, glad you found it helpful. Good suggestion on the colored pencil, will give it a try. Cheers!

[@maijparadakhilmadrasha]

nice:D

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thanks!

[@williambryant5946]

Awesome effects you got on this locomotive. It looks amazing and totally different. I have a couple questions about your techniques as I'd like to adapt them to HO scale. Does the chipping technique with the pencil look as good on an HO scale locomotive as it does on the N scale or should one use a different approach in HO. I ask because the effect on the walkway bringing out the pattern and looking like the paint is worn away looks great in the video on this N scale locomotive. Also when you apply the dullcoat does it tone down the appearance of the pencil graphite and chalk paint? In other words does the effect go away a little bit where you need to apply it more heavily to begin with then bring it down to what looks good when you apply the dullcoat? Was the piece of foam you used for the chipping from a foam paint brush or something different? Should I use a foam that has a bigger texture, meaning more or larger holes so the chips will be farther apart since I'm modeling in HO scale? Will the stain in the cracks and on the handles of the doors not take away and hide the pencil technique or can you still see it? Thanks for this video I enjoyed it very much. Stay well. -Wil 👍

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you for stopping by will, and I am glad that you want to try out these techniques. Please see below: Q: Does the chipping technique with the pencil look as good on an HO scale locomotive? A: Yes, it does. This is a technique often used by military modelers for much larger scales like 1:35 or 1:24, HO will not be a problem at all. Q: when you apply the dullcoat does it tone down the appearance of the pencil graphite and chalk paint? A: To some extent, but not sacrificing any realism. I personally like the muted tone. The metallic shine of the graphite might become subtle for smaller areas, so you might want to do the pencil technique for smaller and hard to reach parts, after the dullcote. Also, get yourself a spray can of lacquer, the brush on technique might create a lot of irregularities that are noticeable in larger HO locomotives. Q: Was the piece of foam you used for the chipping from a foam paint brush or something different? A: It was a piece of sponge from the packaging of some model kit, if I remember correctly. Yes, this is a little denser, producing smaller patches suitable for the scale. For HO scale, normal kitchen sponge should be fine, but even in larger scales the surface area needs to be taken into account. You need denser sponge for smaller areas in HO scale. Q: Will the stain in the cracks and on the handles of the doors not take away and hide the pencil technique or can you still see it? A: The wash generally comes before, but if you miss some part and then remember, then all you need to do is put the pencil back on. The best part with the pencil technique is pretty forgiving and it's difficult to overdo. If you overdo it, just clean it up with some soap water and a detail brush and rework on that part. I would recommend that you try the techniques on a cheap rolling stock or a locomotive shell first. Or even a toy car will do for practice. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. :) Good luck with your weathering and let me know how it goes. Cheers! Kaustav

[@LittleknownPoet]

This is fantastic work! Testors don't appear to make those stains anymore. Can you recommend any others?

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you! I am glad that you enjoyed the video. Yes Testors CreateFX and Model Masters seem to be phased out, but there must be stocks at the retailers - just try a goodle search and you should see plenty still available in the market. AK Interactive washes are a great alternative too. Hope this helps. Cheers! Kaustav

[@anthonymaida5718]

Great Video Can this technique also be used on HO Locomotives? Thanks

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Thank you! Yes, absolutely. Cheers! Kaustav

[@djangodiungli9048]

Thanks for the tips. I am new to model railways and have a Kato D51 in N scale with very shiny coupling rods. Do you have any suggestions to bring down their sheen easily? I don't want to dismantle any part as I am inexperienced.

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Hi! I would recommend two options - get matt black chalk paint and a fine brush to paint it, however, you need to practice it first because it might cause uneven usrfaces if you don't have the right consistency of the paint. 2nd option is much easier, get matt/flat varnish and again use a think brush to paint over the shiny parts. hope this helps. Cheers! Kaustav

[@djangodiungli9048]

@@TrainsandDioramas Thanks

[@petercurran2863]

It seems Testors has discontinued the CreateFX line of paints. Can you suggest other brands and color matches for what you used here?

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Hi Peter - Please take a look at Mig and AK's weathering range - they have upeed there game in last few years and you will find whatever you need to realistically weather your model without mixing colors. Hope that helps. Cheers! Kaustav

[@gregbowen617]

Nice work... I’m still a bit leery about weathering... I don’t want to wreck my expensive models!!!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

So was I! In fact, the first time I tried my hands on weathering was just about 6 years ago, and from that point on, I never stopped! Now, weathering is essential for me in every model that I build - at one side it brings out the details and does justice to these little creations, and on the other hand, it makes them look real. A friend told me after seeing this weathering project that weathering changes the models as if boys are turning into men! I couldn't agree more. :) Thank you for watching and taking time to comment. Cheers!

[@rkentwenger5095]

Buy some cheap models at a swap meet or on ebay or something so so won't mind if they don't turn out well -- use those to learn on, and then once you get better, move to your "good" models...

[@gregbowen617]

@@rkentwenger5095 Actually, I have a few old Locomotive shells and freight cars I can practice on - Great idea, thanks!

[@ashujchwd]

Could you please tell where you purchased this miniature locomotive?! O would like to buy too

[@TrainsandDioramas]

I bought it from modeltrainstuff.com, but you can just search Atlas VO-1000 in Google and you should get other viable options. Thanks for looking

[@SCRrailfan490]

Please you make wdp4 engine video please

[@tengotrax4669]

Are you Indian? If so that’s pretty cool!

[@TrainsandDioramas]

Hey, thanks! 🙏🍻

[@chaithanyamotupally3315]

Where can I buy this item plz rply🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@TrainsandDioramas]

here: shop.atlasrr.com/c-758-n91.aspx

[@macrolog]

I don't like it