Arrived today, this Athearn 57′ Erie Lackawanna reefer, acquired off eBay. In all its awful glossy orange color, this guy will get either faded and/or dirtied up a bit weathering wise after I’m finished with all the commission work. This guy was purchased for use on the layout. It will also get ACI plates:

Here are the first of eight BNSF hoppers I have to work on. These first four are lightly weathered as requested, while the second four will have medium or moderate weathering plus graffiti on those four. It’s possible to tell on these first four the undersides are a bit grimy with different colors used:

Just arrived on the layout is this scrap load from Motrak Models for the recently acquired Tangent PRR gondola. Also arrived is a bag of actual rust chips and powder I intend to use for weathering. Below is the scrap load:

Here is the new week’s layout photo from the original Hitop branch:

Looks like our next work session on the railroad has arrived with the arrival of the local from Riverside yard. We’ll soon be going to work switching these out:

I say past passion as I really don’t get out much anymore to actually railfan and take photos like I used to. I still of course enjoy seeing trains and riding trains however. I do subscribe as well to three different railcam companies. Anyway, here’s a few examples of my past passion, and please remember, […]

For those that haven’t noticed at the bottom of the website or checked out my Facebook group called The Weathering Depot, I just turned over 6,500 followers, so a big thank you!

Here’s a short post and photo today of some of the tools of the trade that I use and am using to weather the current project of ten hoppers:

Yesterday was another work day on the local, this time working several hot cars needed by Monsanto Chemical. This trip consisted of Charlie as engineer, myself as brakeman, and Jimmy as conductor. We need to switch out two empty tanks for a loaded tank car and a loaded covered hopper of chemicals. Photos below show […]

Playing with AI again the other day I came up with these photos and suggestions how to improve the weathering on the layout. A bit much in some respects, but some good suggestions in other areas to make the layout a more grungy 1970’s industrial scene:

Here’s a previous day when our crew was out on second trick working the industries along the Ohio, and ending our work after dark. Sequence of photos below:

Coming soon to the layout are several scrap loads for two gondolas, one is from Motrak Models. I’ll post photos when these arrive! I also had to temporarily postpone all the detail parts from miniprints. Sometimes life’s other issues take precedence, such as car repairs and service! I’ll be ordering these soon however….

I do have an eBay shop as well where periodically I’ll post weathered rolling stock for sale. My shop is under the same name: theweatheringdepot. As of the date of this posting I only have 1 car currently for sale, but hope to have more by the end of June, as I’m working around my […]

The website is a bit under construction, or reconstruction I should say. I decided to obviously change the theme and layout of the website plus update a few things. In the new website you’ll see a new page tab titled “My Work” which will showcase a lot of my weathering. The “layout and more” page […]

Here is this week’s layout photo from the original Hitop branch:

After watching an informative video done by the New England Industrial Division layout on YouTube about embracing and using AI in model railroading, I decided on this post this evening. I’ve used AI already to produce the signs you see for Armitage Furniture and Monsanto Chemical: These were both produced by an AI program then […]

Just two of the prototype items I use on the layout, including a PC Southern Region timetable. Useful tools anyone can use to run their layout in a more prototypical manner. I use copies of the actual PC switch list during an operating session. Time can be a factor as well in running a layout […]

Well, it’s back to work again as the local out of Riverside yard has backed our inbound cars to us, all destined for Monsanto Chemical. Looks like quite a few chemical tank cars! Stay tuned as we start working Monsanto….

Here’s another post about my time as a brakeman on the Indiana and Ohio railroad back in the day. On weekends I worked the tourist train the railroad then ran between the towns of Mason Ohio and Lebanon Ohio. One weekend in particular was wet and miserable with steady rain all day with bouts of […]

For all the newcomers, you may ask “who are these people he’s talking about working the railroad?” Are they make believe or….? Well, the answer is they are names of real people I worked with on the Indiana and Ohio railroad. Fred, Charlie, Dan, Jim, Bob, and John are all real railroaders I worked with!