Canadian Covered Hopper Models

CN True Line Trains covered hopper is ready to go on the WRD.

I recently purchased two used CN covered hoppers for my modern fleet. They both had some light weathering that was done with an air brush. I took it a bit further, but kept them clean looking. 

I began by clipping the trip pins from the Kadee couplers. I also painted the wheels on both cars acrylic cinnamon brown and added a bit of a Bragdon powder mix (my container got flipped mixing the shoot powder with two of the rust tones). This mix has been working well on many of my wheels. Both cars got a coating of flat finish.

True Line Trains - CN 351006 

The trucks got a dusting of PanPastel Raw Umber Shade along with the lower hopper areas which was a bit heavy. I then lightly applied this color to the ladders, stirrups and ends. I applied PanPastel neutral gray to the sides and white to the roof hatches. Mig silver was applied to hose bag glad hands and valve. Micron 05 rust pens are dabbed on the side and brushed down.

At this point I felt the weathering was a bit heavier than I wanted as I wanted the car to look pretty new. I gave it another coat of flat finish which toned down a lot of the weathering leaving the car looking a lot better to me. This is actually the first time I have flat coated my weathering and it appears to work well to lighten up weathering...it washes some of the heavy look away.

Rapido CN 369215

These are a really nice looking covered hopper with a lot of detail. I purchased one awhile back when they first came out. Both are modeled with very light weathering. The hose bag glad hands and valve are painted MIG silver. The couplers are painted AK rust then dusted with Bragdon dark rust. The lower area of the car was given a coating of PanPastel raw umber shade. The hopper door area are dusted heavier then other areas. I did use PanPastel white on the hatches. This car was not sealed with flat finish as it looked good as is. There is a bit of air brush streaking that someone had done which is very light also.

The Rapido CN covered hopper is in service now after a couple of alterations to the finish.