# What colors should I paint + critique needed



## jargonlet

I finished putting together the N Scale Woodland Scenics Town and Factory set that I bought a couple of months ago. I had never made any kits before and I think that they turned out pretty good. I think that I finally have the buildings layed out the way that I want. They may be a bit spread out but I'm open to suggestions. I bought an airbrush and a compressor to use to paint them with. I now need to paint them but I'm not sure what colors or to buy. I would like to keep them as close to the pictures on the box as possible because I think the colors work well together and that's part of why I bought the set. I currently have black, gray, french blue gray and white acrylic paints and grimy black, tuscan red, and ATSF mineral brown Floquil brand. 

















































































I haven't ruled it out yet but I didn't use the hotel in the last picture due to its height. I plan on adding the roofs after I paint the buildings and at some point I'm going to paint the big white spot where I had to redo part of the road. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## matt785115

well for the town buildings, i agree with you. the colors do look good together and i would try to stay with those. for the factory, what about a Brick Red. I think after it was weathered it would look great. some of the old factory's in my town were never painted, just the brick color.


----------



## OverTheHill

Just a couple of ideas:

For factories I like to use Earth tones such as Earth Brown, Brown Special, Desert Storm Sand, Light Earth Brown all by Floquil, or you could look at Reefer Orange or PRR Buff.

For structures I like to use Heritage Brick, Rookwood Red, Georgia Clay, Gingerbread, Oxblood all by Americana which can be purchased at Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby.

When it comes to brick colors the possibilities are endless.

Tom
Overthehill


----------



## jargonlet

matt785115: If I cannot find the shade to match or get pretty close to the box, I may go with red.

OverTheHill: Are these acrylic paints? Do you use an airbrush with them? If they are acrylic, do you use a primer before you paint plastic models? What scale are you modeling? I am working in N. Will the primer make the the layer of paint too think in N for the shape of the bricks to show through?


----------



## jargonlet

I finally finished painting my buildings the main coats and have started painting windows and ledges and all of the little stuff on them. I re-painted a couple of the main coats and am finally happy with the colors of the buildings. Here is the way that I think I am going to keep them. Yes I know that I still have a part of the road to paint. It's visable in first photo. I need to redo the road plan some so I will paint it when I repaint all of the road:

















I finished painting this one tonight:

















I think I am going to paint the gray a darker shade. It looks slightly blue in person:


----------



## jargonlet

Some more pictures of the buildings:

























A couple of extra buildings that I am going to finish but not use on the layout:








I don't like the color of the one on the right and I'm probably going to re-paint it.


----------



## jargonlet

I'm not completely satisfied with the windows on the red building so I'm going to re-paint a lot of it.


----------



## jargonlet

I haven't added the roof over the loading dock yet. What do you all think of the weathering on it?


----------



## sstlaure

Looking great. Don't forget to scatter random BS on the roof (rooves?) of the buildings. Ladders, buckets, hoses, pile of 2x4's, roof vents, stove pipes, electrical wires/boxes, etc.


----------



## matt785115

Looks really good! What did you use for your roads, I like that alot.


----------



## haphall

I came across a DVD a while back called Constructing DPM Buildings by Miles Hoffman or something close. DPM originally made the molds for many of what are now Cornerstone kits. He addresses all the issues you've mentioned. I see it on ebay occassionally for $10-$15. Mfg is Railroad University I believe. It's well worth the investment. His tips apply well to any resin kits.


----------



## Carl

Excellent layout and the color choices enhance the effort your have put forth.


----------



## haphall

I found the DVD. It's Constructing DPM Building Kits by Miles Hale. Ordering info at: http://www.modelrailroadinguniversity.com/products.html.


----------



## jargonlet

I used this set of videos while I was building the models. It was quite helpful and probably about the same as the dvd. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLAA3431B2F2688DDB&v=1wd_ZI56xU4&feature=player_embedded


----------



## Big Ed

I like the mine building going into the mountain.:thumbsup:

But tell me, does the track go any further back?
You can only fill the last car on the train?
It would have been better built into the mountain where the engine is?

Unless there is more track that I am not seeing so you can back the trains in under it.

I like the way you set it into the mountain.:thumbsup:


----------



## jargonlet

Thanks. Unfortunately the mine's location doesn't allow for more than the last car to be loaded. The track goes as far as you see in the picture. I had though about extending the track some but I decided against it because it wouldn't go much farther.


----------



## Big Ed

jargonlet said:


> thanks. Unfortunately the mine's location doesn't allow for more than the last car to be loaded. The track goes as far as you see in the picture. I had though about extending the track some but i decided against it because it wouldn't go much farther.











Can you take out the bump where the X is and curve it around where my line is?
Or if you can't, you can move the structure out some and just add in a small piece of the mountain to take up the spot. Then add in some rail?

Knock out the X bump and tie it into the main line on the other side?
Though I can't see the other side.
I like the looks of it,:thumbsup:, but it just doesn't look right loading one car at a time.

But....it is your RR. 
Just a suggestion from the peanut gallery.
Back to my popcorn now.


----------



## jargonlet

I haven't had much time to work on the layout lately but isn't that how it always goes? The layout has been moved into the corner of the room and the rest of the room has been turned into a workshop. It's no longer housed on a table and I put black fabric around the bottom of the layout. It made a major improvement on the overall look of the layout. I also built a shelf under the layout to house the controls. I did this because of space issues not for looks but I like how clean it looks being out of sight. 



big ed said:


> View attachment 21142
> 
> 
> Can you take out the bump where the X is and curve it around where my line is?
> Or if you can't, you can move the structure out some and just add in a small piece of the mountain to take up the spot. Then add in some rail?
> 
> Knock out the X bump and tie it into the main line on the other side?
> Though I can't see the other side.
> I like the looks of it,:thumbsup:, but it just doesn't look right loading one car at a time.
> 
> But....it is your RR.
> Just a suggestion from the peanut gallery.
> Back to my popcorn now.


I thought about putting a tunnel portal down by the mine but the mainline sits a bit too low. I wish the mine was in a little better location so that it would be more realistic for loading but I get comments on the looks by people that aren't model railroaders so I guess it will stay where it is. Here's a better picture of the end of the track by the mine:


----------



## Big Ed

OK.....Look for a little office building and add a couple of dump trucks, maybe a front loader back there also.
A while ago I picked up four N scale machines on e bay, a buy it now at a good price. 
They are die-cast/plastic, but look nice.


----------



## jargonlet

Yes I do. I plan to once I have some extra funds coming in.


----------



## jargonlet

These buildings did not come with bases/sidewalks on them. How high do sidewalks need to be to be proper scale size?


----------



## OverTheHill

If my memory serves me right it should be 1/8"

Tom
overthehill


----------



## tjcruiser

I'd suggest that's a bit big for N scale ... 1/8" x 1:160 (or so) = 20" full size ... a bit tall for a curb.

I'd cut that in half or more ... target approx 9" full scale ... about 1/16" in N.

TJ


----------



## jargonlet

I haven't had a whole lot of time to work on the layout lately but I got some new rolling stock today and thought I would make a video. I apologize for it being a bit shaky and a bit blurry but this is the first video I've made with my phone. All but two of the rolling stock are Atlas and they are Roundhouse. It is all Norfolk and Western with the exception of two Western Maryland hoppers and a St. Marys box car.


----------



## jargonlet

The layout is coming along pretty nicely. I redid the structure arrangement a bit and am much happier with it this way. Next step is to add sidewalks and wire lights into it. If I can wing it after the beginning of the year I'd like to convert to dcc. I realize that I don't have a huge layout but my goal within the next 2 years is a 9x5 layout and I'd like to have all of my locos and future locos ready to go at that time.


----------



## jargonlet

It's been quite awhile since I updated this thread. Here is the current state of the layout. I have since redesigned the streets and buildings.


----------



## Big Ed

The paint on the buildings look great. :thumbsup:

I like the old Mobilgas station with the flying horse too. :thumbsup:


----------



## Carl

The modeling effort is great....thanks for allowing us to see your progress.


----------



## jargonlet

Here's some updates to the layout:


----------



## Big Ed

Nice, what is the make of the gray tractor backed into the dock?

I like the way the light shines out on the loading dock roof.

Got to add to the junk laying around, huh?


----------



## jargonlet

It's made by Classic Metal Works detailed to Kroger Co.


----------



## jargonlet

I decided to start a build thread in the layouts section since I have all of my structures completed for the layout. Here is the link:http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?p=259281#post259281


----------



## Model Train Structures

Very nicely done! I give you (and other N Scale builders) lots of kudos because neither my eyes or my hands don't work with such small buildings. Congrats on a job well done, and thanks for posting.

D.A.


----------

