Hi guys -- I tend to change out roof walks a lot – plastic to etched metal or wood. One thing that seems to get overlooked is the wear and weathering that occurs on these walks. I like to use burnt umber on wood walks (after coloring to match the car), or for really old wood walks just the burnt umber with some grey washed in, more on some boards less on others (attached photo copies from a book -- note that one of the long boards has even curled away from its mount, so this car is out of service -- also note the tack boards). Steel roof walks would probably just get rusty unless they are in the way of loading, like covered hoppers, in which case the load’s coloring might be splashed around. In any case, adding a bit of weathering to a roofwalk helps make the roof more interesting without a lot of effort...
Have fun! Bill Winans -------------------------------- ... As you note, the roofs of our equipment get a lot of attention. I like to use stripwood, stain it using the same paint I used for the car (or as close as I can get if updating a pre-painted car). I brush it on, then quickly wipe it off with a rag soaked in some thinner. I do this AFTER cutting the wood to length but BEFORE installing it on the car, so I don't damage the painted roof. - Trevor
