Prototype Information

Ex Chessie Covered hopper now owned by HLMX Helm Leasing.

Model Information

Intermountain Railway Corp makes a terrific ACF 4650 3-bay covered hopper. This model started as an undecorated kit, and received a base coat of red-brown paint. I applied some rubber cement over that coat before applying yellow; peeling off the rubber cement yielded nice looking rust patches. I like this approach as you have some control, if the rubber cement is thin enough (you can buy some thinner, though other solvents would probably work too). The other approaches I've used include sea salt masking (which is interesting) and hairspray (water soluble- hard to control). I've not used some of the newer, more advanced products like the military modelers use, e.g. Mig Products chipping fluids. Trying those is certainly on my list however!

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