HO scale USRA Ann Arbor box car coupled to an HO scale Caswell AT&SF gondola.

HO scale USRA Ann Arbor box car coupled to an HO scale Caswell AT&SF gondola.

The odd couple. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailroading #ModelRailway #CaswellBuild #USRABuild

Completed HO scale USRA Ann Arbor box car. Side view.

Completed HO scale USRA Ann Arbor box car. B end view.

Completed HO scale USRA Ann Arbor box car. A end view.

Completed HO scale USRA Ann Arbor box car. Side view.

This concludes construction, painting, and weathering of the #AnnArbor #USRABuild from Westerfield kit #3319. It is now ready for revenue service. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway

Four tiny squares of paper on glass having been painted with Vallejo Model Color White 70.951.

Last details. Paperwork/placards for the placard boards. A note on terminology: blog.resincarworks.com/railroad-pla... #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale box car roof before color modulation, with a light brown color applied at the top of the roof panels.

HO scale box car with light brown oils blended on the roof. The effect is to flatten the roof panels and make them slightly chalky, which visually unifies them with the roofwalk.

Here is the roof color modulation. The walkway has chalky white, which I want to spread to the roof panels to make the textures click. The color is a mix of white, transparent red earth, and van dyke brown. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale box car next to a colored pencil that reads "Warmgrau II Warm grey II 271 ***".

After doing some color modulation on the roof to blend in the walkway better, we are nearly complete. The next step is to (lightly!) make the areas where people would climb look worn with a colored pencil - Warmgrau II. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

End of an HO scale box car with the tackboard a darker, more modulated color than in the previous post.

After darkening and modulating the panels they look more natural - and will blend in more after a matte finish. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Old color photo of the end of a box car, showing the worn and used up tackboard.

HO scale box car, with the tackboard painted a woody color.

Images with alt text. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

After some fine touch-up work, let's finish the details. Here, using oils as a chipping effect on the tackboards. Trying to approximate the only color photo of a worn, box car red tackboard I can find, from prototopics.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-... #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Weathering the diagonal walkways of an HO scale box car with white oil paint. Three rows show "Diagonal Walkways Before", "During Oil Application", and "After Oil Blending".

Revisiting the roof walks. I love the way the transparent white oil paint layer creates a raw wood chipping effect. I want the diagonal crosswalks to have the same, but more. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Three panels showing the end of an HO scale box car being weathered with oil paints. In the first panel, only panel liner has been applied. In the second panel, the tops of the steel ribs have been painted with Mars Red Light. In the third panel, the paint has been blended.

End weathering. The previously applied panel liner imparts a dark tone between the steel ribs. By highlighting just the top of the ribs, we create a contrast with the darker tones: gradients that increase visual interest in a monochromatic object. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Three panels of oil weathering the door of an HO scale box car. The top panel shows the oils applied but unblended. The top half of the door has both raw sienna and Mars Red Light, while the bottom half only has raw sienna. The center panel shows the oils being blended with a brush. The bottom panel shows the door after blending while still wet. It will take time to dry.

Door weathering. There are two main panels. The top is getting Mars Red Light to make it slightly stand out from the darker lower panel. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Composite photograph showing 3-4 roof panels being oil paint weathered at a time on an HO scale box car.

Then, flipping it to do the other half of the roof. Here I actually show a panel mid-blending to demonstrate how I do it: with a diagonal / chevron shape moving out from the roofwalk. There should be more raw umber than Mars Red Light. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Composite progress picture of treating roof panels with oil paint weathering on an HO scale box car.

Finishing the roof has been a zen experience. Here is the process across the roof panels on the bottom of the photos. As I got more of a rhythm, I was able to go back to doing multiple at a time. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Cardboard palette with a variety of earthy oil paints, each color with a fresh dollop of oil paint that will be ready to use by tomorrow.

The oil palette was getting a little too dry, so let's freshen it up for use tomorrow. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale box car with Mars Red Light oil paint in a chevron in the middle of a roof panel, and raw umber outlining the panel. This shows before blending with a short-bristled paintbrush and a small amount of thinner.

HO scale box car showing the blended panel. Note the improved appearance of the newly treated panels on the lower left compared to the untreated on top.

And thus I continue, panel-by-panel, slowly blending the contrasting colors. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale box car with three panels (circled in red) having newly blended oils.

Mars Red Light is a perfect color for this. I lucked out in finding it on sale. Using a short bristle brush with just the tiniest amount of thinner, I blend the raw umber into the Mars Red Light to slightly heighten the shadows and deepen the panels. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Two bottles of oil paint next to the palette: Windsor & Newton Raw Umber, and Williamsburg Mars Red Light.

HO scale box car with oil paints applied to the roof.

I wanted to revisit the roof with a better strategy. Now I am using two colors: a dark brown (raw umber) for shadows and an iron oxide red (Williamsburg Mars Red Light: goldenartistcolors.com/products/wil...) for highlights. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale box car with a mix of oil colors dabbled on the side near the roof.

HO scale box car, wet with freshly streaked oil paints on the side.

HO scale box car being held at an angle, with the door having thinner applied using a small paintbrush.

HO scale box car with oil streaking effects across the side.

On the sides, I am applying oil paints near the top and then using a thinner-soaked brush to streak them down. I am working in multiple stages, starting with darker colors and gradually lightening them. This subtly enhances the edge/panel contrast. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Oil paints are semi-randomly spotted on the roof, then blended together with odorless thinner. The end effect is subtle. I want to impart more wear on the walkways, and I also think I should go for a somewhat dustier look - cf bsky.app/profile/jcjr... #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Below, an oil paint palette on cardboard, with the linseed oil stain spreading away from the boluses of paint. Above, an HO scale box car with dabs of brown, white, and yellow paint on the roof.

Here goes nothing: round 1 of oil painting the roof. Leaching the linseed oil is crucial. I use a warm palette of earthy colors, yellow, and white. The paints stay malleable for a long time (hours) compared to acrylics or enamels. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

To continue following the #AnnArbor #USRABuild #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway box car, go to the new thread ---> bsky.app/profile/jcjr...

HO scale box car, before panel lining, next to a bottle of Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color (Dark Brown).

HO scale box car, after panel lining. Note the enhanced visibility of fine details in the side, including the lettering appearing to conform to individual boards.

Panel lining darkens the cracks, emphasizing the details by outlining them. Notice how the scribing of the decals pays off now as the lettering appears to conform to individual boards after panel lining. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Let's start a new thread for weathering of the #HOScale #AnnArbor #USRABuild box car. #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway

Completed HO scale ANN ARBOR box car.

Completed HO scale ANN ARBOR box car.

... and that is primary construction. Here is the completed, unweathered, #USRABuild. Now it is time for panel lining, then oil weathering. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway

HO scale box car, coupler pocket open, with a green pencil used to color the inside of the coupler pocket.

HO scale box car, coupler pocket open, with the centering spring installed.

Installing the couplers: first, lubricating the coupler pocket with graphite, then installing the centering spring (one of which flew off into the aether, but I have spares. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale ANN ARBOR box car in a paint booth next to a bottle with indistinct labeling that says Pledge Revive-It.

In the meantime, a semi-gloss coat (Pledge Revive-It) to protect the decals from oil weathering that is about to commence. We nearly have the completed, unweathered car at this stage. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale coupler parts ready for assembly.

Close-up of inserting a tiny ball bearing into an HO scale coupler.

Six HO scale couplers, assembled, inverted while the glue cures.

Coupler assembly: a six-pack, each with an intimidatingly tiny ball bearing that needs to be cleanly inserted and held in place for subsequent assembly. The secret to maintaining sanity is thick CA glue. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Plastic bag full of white metal pieces that reads, "Prototype Couplers / HO Scale Couplers, US Patent 6308845 / RC87K / Sergent Design Made in U.S.A."

HO scale coupler parts that have been painted with Rusoleum rusty red.

Oh yeah, couplers. I am using Prototype Couplers (prototypecouplers.com/home.html), which are operational and to scale, but are finicky to assemble. First is to paint them with Rustoleum, then we can assemble them tomorrow. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

HO scale box car being inscribed with a fresh razor blade on top of lettering reading ANN ARBOR.

HO scale box car with decals being treated with Micro Sol.

Now to etch the decals at the breaks between the individual boards, and reapply Micro Sol for that very painted-on look.
#HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild

Tamiya XF-85 rubber black in a palette with paint retarder next to an HO scale box car.

HO scale box car with the air hose painted rubber black.

HO scale box car with the air hose painted rubber black and the end painted flat aluminum.

Detail painting: the air hoses. I used Tamiya XF-85 Rubber Black with a drop of paint retarder to give it plenty of time to flow across the part. Then, some Tamiya XF-16 flat aluminum on the ends to make it visually pop. #HOScale #ModelRailroad #ModelRailway #USRABuild