Painting Rails

Oldelpa48 Jul 25, 2022

  1. Oldelpa48

    Oldelpa48 E-Mail Bounces

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    I didn't realize what a demanding hobby this is. I'm at the point where I'm ready to weather the ties and the sides of the rails before I glue the track down and apply ballast. Problem is, I can't get the paint to stick to the rails. This is Atlas 83 flex track I've had for years and I assumed I could just use an airbrush and acrylic paint and weather a bunch at a time. The paint claims it will adhere to metal but so far it only sticks where I don't want it, on top of the rail. I thought maybe, even after all this time, there was protective residue on the rail so I used alchohol and wiped a piece down. No luck. I mixed the paint to the consistancy of 2% milk and it seems to spray fine with no clogs. So what is the trick to getting the paint to stick? A coating of primer? I hate to do that because using an airbrush I'll lose some of the tie detail the more paint I apply and it is flex track. Special modeling paint for model railroad track? Maybe I need to spray the paint on thicker? Any ides are appreciated. Tom
     
  2. Mr. Trainiac

    Mr. Trainiac TrainBoard Member

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    What do you mean it doesn't stick? Like it beads up?

    You may want to thin your paint less. Unlike a primered model or bare styrene, the metal rails have less texture and tooth for the paint to stick to. Try shooting a thicker paint to combat surface tension, or spray father away so the paint is partially dry as it hits the track.
     
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  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I like paint my track, rails and ties, with Floquil Roof Brown, but it's no longer available. However I found the Rust-Oleum Camouflage Spray Paint, Earth Brown as a decent flat finish substitute. After the paint has dried, go over select ties with an alcohol/India ink wash or other washes to add variety to the ties. After ballasting, sand or erase the rail tops to a nice finish.
     
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  4. Mr. Trainiac

    Mr. Trainiac TrainBoard Member

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    The most recent time I painted tracks, I did the same. Previously I had airbrushed the rails and then painted the ties by hand, but on some modules I did with my club a few months ago, we just spray painted the rails and ties the same color. After ballasting, It looked fine.
     
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  5. Oldelpa48

    Oldelpa48 E-Mail Bounces

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    Yes, I'm using earth brown and it looks great on the ties....now if it would only stick to the rails.
     
  6. Oldelpa48

    Oldelpa48 E-Mail Bounces

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    Sounds like it might work. I hand painted one straight section with earth brown and then washes of black followed by some ground in white chaulk. Looked great but to do 20 -36" flex track, 52 -9"straight track, bridge track and 6 switches by hand is more than I can handle. Thanks. Tom
     
  7. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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  8. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    So for a situation where you are going to paint lots of track pieces before installation, and do not want to paint the ties, I would make a cardstock mask out of cereal box cardboard. For all but the turnouts, cut strips to fit between the rails, and masking tape splice them together to make the 3 foot flextrack masks. After you finish with the flextrack, you can cut the strips down to fit the sectional track.

    Make 3 long strips all the same size and length, and use masking tape pieces to hold the cardstock strips in place masking the ties while you lightly and quickly spray paint the tracks. Use a long quick continuous pass to mist one side, then the other, and it will dry very fast so you can knock out all but the turnouts in an hour. For the turnouts you have to carefully mask points and frog, as well as ties with masking tape.
     
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  9. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    I found that painting rails of flex track before installing caused problems bending for curves, often the spike heads would scrape the paint off in places.

    I put the track down first, then hit the rails with the Camo Earth Brown rattle can.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  10. Oldelpa48

    Oldelpa48 E-Mail Bounces

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    Trouble with laying the track first.....wife says no spraying in family room (I think there might be a question of trust here! ;-) )
     
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  11. Oldelpa48

    Oldelpa48 E-Mail Bounces

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    I'm assuming you fill with paint and the washer holds the roller pad against the rail? Does the paint need thinning if it's the usual acrylic paint?
     
  12. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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    The paint runs down the little tube thru a little hole onto the roller. I would use his paint, it is water based, a little goes a long way. If you get it adjusted right it just paints the side and just hits the ties plates and spike heads.
     
  13. Oldelpa48

    Oldelpa48 E-Mail Bounces

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    Thanks for all the replies. I think I've got it figured out. Instead of mixing 3 pts paint to 5 pts water I mixed it 5 pts paint to 3 pts alcohol and sprayed farther away. Seems to be sticking. (KOW). If I have anymore paint problems I'll be buying that rail painting tool. Tom
     
  14. glenng6

    glenng6 TrainBoard Member

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    Oldelpa48,
    I have used the Rusty Nails rail painting tool and as gjslsffan said, a little paint goes a long way. If you decide to use it, wether you thin, or not, will depend upon the paint you use. The only way you will know, is to experiment. If it is too thin you will have a mess. Not all will be lost because you can spread the excess with a small brush. Ask me how I know. I ended up not thinning my paint. Glenn
     
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  15. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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    Thanks for the comments, I just used Joe's paints in it, it worked out good for me. If you scroll down in the link I posted, you can see he has a lot of colors.
    Anyways nice discussion.
     
  16. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    Why an air brush? We're trying to make something look rusty. Will making sure it's smooth help do that?

    These widgets tend to get paint onto even stubborn materials.

    [​IMG]

    I realize they're funny looking, and there's no wall plug or batteries. But, you know, you can survive that if it gets the job done.
     
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  17. James Fitch

    James Fitch TrainBoard Member

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    Following Rob Spanglers method, I used Rustoleum Camouflage brown in a rattle can and sprayed the track from a couple different angles after it was laid. Then to get the paint off of the top of the rails, using Rob's method, I took a utility knife blade and scraped it backwards over the two rails and it cleaned the paint right off after it was dry. Worked great and a heck of a lot less work than some of the other methods mentioned. You can weather the track later but that gets a nice base down.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  18. minesweeper

    minesweeper TrainBoard Member

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    That looks great, but i am afraid the knife will scrape the rail surface, a rough rail surface attracts dust and gunk..... wuold clean when still wet or use something non abrasive.
     
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  19. Oldelpa48

    Oldelpa48 E-Mail Bounces

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    Using just my thumbnail takes off most of the paint, I then went over it carefully with a q-tip dipped in alchohol. Seems to work for me....I'll attempt all three rail lines like this.
     
  20. James Fitch

    James Fitch TrainBoard Member

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    The rail was not made rough or damaged. Have you seen Rob Spanglers layout. It's a masterpiece. I trust his methods implicitly. But your choice.
     

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