Streetcar Tracks

Hello!

It's always best to take a look at the real thing:

That's how the tracks look when used daily. The colour of the rusty portion is grey with a sligtly brown tone to it. After a few weeks of not being used the shiny surfaces turn dull and might get a light brown, almost orange misting.

Hope it helps, good luck with your project and have a nice day

Paweł

Sounds like a situation made to order for Humbrol's "Track Colour" which is very nearly the perfect brown/red/grey color.

Leather with some NATO black would work, too.

Finish the topp edges in Steel, then burnish with a pencil for the highlights.

For damaged track, I'd probably dry brush "Burnt Iron" of the ends to tone down the effect, too.

From Pawel's photo abobe, a person could be forgiven for starting fro ma base of, say, panzer grey, hevily washed in Steel, with Silver on the bearing surface.

But, that's just my 2¢; for coffee at the shop you'll need some folding local currency.

If I want to show really rusty stuff, I like to use two shades of rust, dry brushing the second color over the first.  Rust colors can range from brown to reddish brown to a yellow/buff.  Some rust is even black.

 Hi Don ;

     The old tracks in my area are very heavy with rust . The damaged areas .Not being bomb torn or anything are blackish red orangy looking with flashes of metal here and there .

Since you are depicting Berlin in 1945, the tracks wouldn't be that rusty from disuse.  They would have bright orange surface rust here and there.  They wouldn't be that rusty since rails are a very good grade of steel.  It would take years for them to turn a dull rusty brown, though faster in a sea environment, which Berlin isn't.

Thanks! How would you do a manholecover and a street drain grate?  Woold they be steel wwith rust built up? 

Hello!

Please take a look at this link:

https://www.google.de/search?q=gully+deckel&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPrZ-YoarQAhUGBcAKHa5MApUQ_AUICSgC&biw=1680&bih=939

That should give you a good idea about the colour range. Some rust - yes, but don't go too heavy with it. That cover or grate would have to sit there for months or even years before it develops any really serious rust.

Hope it helps, have a nice day

Paweł

Mr. Pavel,   thanks that was helpful!

Leddy

a manholecover and a street drain grate?

Ironwork like that is often given a bitheumin (tar oil) coaating so that they will not rust while sitting out in the weather in the street.

I'd go for a base coat of NATO Black then heavily drybrushed with a pure black, then highlighted using a #2 pencil, with a teeny tiny amount of Leather in cracks and crevices.