Painting Newqida Plastic track

[AddictiveBiscuit]

I'm new to G scale I recently bought a Bachmann RC Big Hauler and a pack of the Newqida plastic track its brown at the moment I was wondering if anyone has repainted these before? I'm not sure how to go about repainting them at the moment.

 

[Gizzy]

Welcome to the forum.

I think you will be the first person here ever to try to do this? most folks use the plastic track for storage on shelves.

I'm not sure what type of plastic the track is made from, but if it is a waxy plastic, it probably won't take paint very well, even if primed.

I reckon you will have to try it and see what happens.

You should be able to get code 332 brass track (made by LGB, PIKO, Aristocraft, etc.) for around £3 a foot second hand. Try asking here on the forum.
It is far more robust than the NQD stuff you have....

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

Welcome to the forum.

I think you will be the first person here ever to try to do this? most folks use the plastic track for storage on shelves.

I'm not sure what type of plastic the track is made from, but if it is a waxy plastic, it probably won't take paint very well, even if primed.

I reckon you will have to try it and see what happens.

You should be able to get code 332 brass track (made by LGB, PIKO, Aristocraft, etc.) for around £3 a foot second hand. Try asking here on the forum.
It is far more robust than the NQD stuff you have....

I painted some last night as a bit of a test and it has dried now no problem, its just getting the right colours that I'm struggling with. I do plan to use it outside its under the shade so I'm hoping it will be alright I have seen a video of it being outdoors for 6 months in Australia and it hadn't became that brittle at all. I might buy some dark brown spray and spray them all and paint the rails grey.. Not sure yet.

 

[Gizzy]

I painted some last night as a bit of a test and it has dried now no problem, its just getting the right colours that I'm struggling with. I do plan to use it outside its under the shade so I'm hoping it will be alright I have seen a video of it being outdoors for 6 months in Australia and it hadn't became that brittle at all. I might buy some dark brown spray and spray them all and paint the rails grey.. Not sure yet.

Maybe try a Humbrol track colour?

Rails only tend to be shiny on the railhead if the track is frequently used. The sides are a brown dusty colour....

 

[Gizzy]

If it was me William, I think I would just leave it outside for twelve months or so and see what happened. Mother Nature can be remarkably good at realistically weathering things.

Yes Nigel, I was going to say brass track weathers well outdoors?

It would be interesting to see what happens to the NQD track outdoors....

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

If it was me William, I think I would just leave it outside for twelve months or so and see what happened. Mother Nature can be remarkably good at realistically weathering things.

This is something I was thinking about I have seen what brass track looks like after being outdoors for some time, I'd like to give it a basic paint job really just make the sleepers darker and repaint the rails make it actually look like track.

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

Yes Nigel, I was going to say brass track weathers well outdoors?

It would be interesting to see what happens to the NQD track outdoors....

Don't think many people have tried it outside but there is a video of some that was left outside for 6 months held up rather well I think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb29Dob7RbE

 

[ntpntpntp]

The only time I've seen the NQD track painted is in that youtube video you linked to above. Not particularly realistic (much too silvery looking). I doubt the plastic track will hold up very long outdoors, probably not worth spending a lot of time painting it. As has been suggested, just let nature do its stuff!

To be honest, what upsets me more in that video are the blue lights on the NQD loco. No idea why they chose to fit those. I've replaced them with warm-white LEDs on mine.

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

The only time I've seen the NQD track painted is in that youtube video you linked to above. Not particularly realistic (much too silvery looking). I doubt the plastic track will hold up very long outdoors, probably not worth spending a lot of time painting it. As has been suggested, just let nature do its stuff!

To be honest, what upsets me more in that video are the blue lights on the NQD loco. No idea why they chose to fit those. I've replaced them with warm-white LEDs on mine.

I don't plan to spend much time, just spray them a darker brown and paint the rails grey not in a silver, Its going to be under the shade so I'm hoping it will be alright. Is that NQD Loco any good as well?

 

[ntpntpntp]

[quote author=AddictiveBiscuit link=topic=301036.msg348788#msg348788 date=1428948501]
Is that NQD Loco any good as well?
[/quote]
People have had varying degrees of success with it I think.  Mine`s been pretty good, I replaced the traction tyres and cleaned up a couple of moulding pips on the rods so that it ran smoothly. Plus I replaced the LEDs as mentioned.

When the NQD range first became available there were a few quite heated discussions regarding the legitimacy of the models (belief that they were "dodgy" clones of LGB models). I think that`s calmed down now and hopefully people generally accept them as a cheap and cheerful range. As always you get what you pay for.

I`m usually a DCC track power operator but this one little cheap battery loco set is handy for when I can`t be bothered to plug in the gear and clean the track!

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

People have had varying degrees of success with it I think. Mine's been pretty good, I replaced the traction tyres and cleaned up a couple of moulding pips on the rods so that it ran smoothly. Plus I replaced the LEDs as mentioned.

When the NQD range first became available there were a few quite heated discussions regarding the legitimacy of the models (belief that they were "dodgy" clones of LGB models). I think that's calmed down now and hopefully people generally accept them as a cheap and cheerful range. As always you get what you pay for.

I saw the discussion about the legitimacy of them and I can understand why. I might get one in future any idea if its possible to replace the generic toy train sounds with something actually decent? I hope NQD make some more locos in future.

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

The track I painted last night, not sure what to think of it.. The sleepers will get darker once I leave them outside its just the rails I`m not sure about.

 

[Gizzy]

The track I painted last night, not sure what to think of it.. The sleepers will get darker once I leave them outside its just the rails I'm not sure about.

The grey does improve the look of the track, but I would suggest dry brushing a dirty, rusty track colour along the sides of the rails to make it look more realistic....

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

The grey does improve the look of the track, but I would suggest dry brushing a dirty, rusty track colour along the sides of the rails to make it look more realistic....

I was just thinking I might as well just paint the top of the rails silver and leave everything else. I have just seen it on a topic by a guest called RJR and they have done it on Playmobil track it looks alright if you ask me https://www.gscalecentral.net/g-scale-pictures/a-bit-more-about-rjr-(newbie)/

 

[Gizzy]

I was just thinking I might as well just paint the top of the rails silver and leave everything else. I have just seen it on a topic by a guest called RJR and they have done it on Playmobil track it looks alright if you ask me https://www.gscalecentral.net/g-scale-pictures/a-bit-more-about-rjr-(newbie)/

I recall John's work? Looks like he isn't a member of GSC atm.

I can't see his pix on my PC here, but I do remember his track, locos and repaints of the Playmobil EMU.

Wonder if he's still around....

 

[ntpntpntp]

To my eyes RJR's track had the look of something like London Underground - very dark brown almost getting towards black. Probably because the ballast was sprayed the same colour.

I'd probably go a touch lighter and maybe with a light wash of khaki / olive green over the brown to pick out the grain of the sleepers, but if you look at images of track there's a lot of colour variation. Newer rail certainly has a more red/brown rust colour to it, so you could spray the sides of the rail with a rust colour to distinguish it from the sleepers. Then apply the silver/steel colour to the top. It probably just needs wiping on rather than painting.

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll go out at some point and buy some stuff probably just a dark brown and a rusty colour, don't want to do lots of work on this track in case it becomes brittle.

 

[PhilP]

It probably will become brittle with time..
However, your painting of the track will protect it from the UV for a while, so extending its' life outdoors..

It will be interesting to see just how long it lasts for you..
I think foot-traffic damage may be a bigger risk, though you say it will be in shade / under the overhang of foliage, perhaps?

 

[AddictiveBiscuit]

[quote author=PhilP link=topic=301036.msg348842#msg348842 date=1428999588]
It probably will become brittle with time..
However, your painting of the track will protect it from the UV for a while, so extending its` life outdoors..

It will be interesting to see just how long it lasts for you..
I think foot-traffic damage may be a bigger risk, though you say it will be in shade / under the overhang of foliage, perhaps?
[/quote]

Its in between two sheds and a fence along the back, when I was building the base it was rather shady. I have uploaded a photo its a bit of a mess at the moment.

 

[PhilP]

I wish my garden was a 'mess' like that! :-[