Michael et al --
I don't paint my tie plates separately -- or my rails either. I lay my track,
complete with tie plates and spikes. Then I use a pointed artist's brush and
Floquil "Rail Brown" paint to color the rails, plates, and spikes all at once.
All it takes is dragging the side of the brush along the rail web. Paint will
rub off on the tie plates as you go. In fact, for non-foreground track on
which I do not use tie plates, dragging the brush places a small rectangle of
paint directly on each tie, creating the impression of tie plates.
I have never washed or otherwise cleaned plastic tie plates or other plastic or
metal rail details (fishplates, rail braces) before installation. And I have
never had brush-applied rail paint "fail."
Dick Karnes
Mercer Island, WA
============
PS -- I don't even stain my ties before installing rail. After completing the
trackage I stain the ties with a fairly wide artist's brush. The stain carries
itself throughout the tie by natural capillary action and absorption. Once
thoroughly dry, I paint the rails as described above. Ballast goes on last.
PPS -- Some guys lay masking tape down the center of the ties, leaving just
enough bare space adjacent to the rails to be colored to represent tie plates
(or to expose plastic tie plates). Then they airbrush the rails and tie-plate
areas with the color of their choice. However, I refuse to do open spraying in
my closed basement -- hence my manual brushing method.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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