A couple misc. cars.

[netzlofdesign]

As I stated in my returning member post I am experimenting with a new type of printer for decals and direct-printing for models.

One of the areas I was excited to try was direct-to-car weathering; and I must say I've exceeded my own expectations. I'm too excited not to share the results!


First is an Airslide hopper for my friend's railroad, the Blue Jay Southern. This is an O Scale car, and while I primarily work in HO I was excited to try the new methods on something larger. Also, it gave me the excuse to play around with Bad Order tags.

A close up of the Chipped up, faded, and beaten BJS keystone logo.


This is a fairly beat up boxcar for a misc. leasing company. I wasn't working with any specific prototype here, either, I just wanted to create the appearance of a beat up, uncared for rent-a-pile.

What good rust bucket boxcar has a pristine roof?

These are just a couple quick shots of what I've been working on- it's Show Season so I am a bit behind with everything, but there will be more weathered cars to come; some prototypes even!

[pacbelt]

Wow!! That looks GOOD!!!

~ Carmine

[Canadian Atlantic Railway]

That is definitely an interesting approach to weathering. Do you have any other models that you could post?

[iomalley]

Yeah I've seen direct printing done onto a 6 panel door before but never thought about applying it to a model!!! Bravo!

[netzlofdesign]

This is the first weathering test print performed. It's an old Athearn BlueBox MOW Baggage car I had sitting around, no real plan or a whole lot of thought went into it- just wanted to get some ink on the car to prove the concept.




Next is a piece we did to replicate a real freight car. RBOX 38073 has a large billboard style graffiti piece done on it, and has become somewhat famous for the artwork:


Now, I don't have any more samples of the weathering print on hand, but the following pictures are using the same direct-print method for lettering:

First up is a boxcar done up for the Miola Central; the freelanced line of the late Rich Steiner. We (CMR Products) did these as a memorial series.


A couple 40' Boxcars for my grandfather's railroad.


And finally, a 150 Years Commemorative woodchip hopper for my friend's freelanced regional.


Those last three cars aren't weathered, I know, but I wanted to show exactly what this printing method is capable of. Not to turn this into a sales pitch, but offering this service along with custom decals, and I will be around to answer any questions regarding it. For order inquiries please PM me, or hit up CMR Products' custom order page.

[analogbeatmaker]

That's pretty cool. The graphics look great but the weathering seems a bit translucent or pixelated. What type of printer has this ability? I've never heard of such.

[netzlofdesign]

Probably by choice of base graphics for the weathering at fault there- I'm using lower-resolution free textures intended for video games.

The printer is a new technology to the modeling field, that to the best of my knowledge is currently not in use, and certainly not in widespread use, in the model railroad industry. It is an industrial grade printer, however; not something that can be picked up down at Staples or WalMart.

[m a y o r 79]

Unless Im looking at it on a bad monitor, it sure doesnt look pixilated to me.

[dablaze]

I am curious as well what kind of printer does this, I run a company (the equipment guy) that sells large format printers ( all the 1:1 scale Go Transit stuff is done on one by one of my clients)

Craig