Loading Ramp / TransLoad Progress

I actually followed through on last weeks' mention of re-painting the loading ramp because I wasn't happy with the way the "cracks" I had drawn onto the concrete had turned out.

Here it is, still on the workbench.  I first cleaned off what I could with some alcohol and then sprayed it with ModelFlex Concrete Gray.  With that done, I thinned down Grimy Black and sprayed that in several light and quick passes to leave tire tracks where where I figure lift trucks and such would drive on the concrete.

Next was to try to highlight the expansion cracks in the concrete.  Using the newest and finest (0000) brush I have, I very lightly dabbed AK Interactive RailRoad Wash into the cracks and watched with interest as it ran through the cracks.  That colour was a bit "bold" so I went over the cracks again in the same manner with Vallejo Dark Gray wash to darken it down a bit.

I don't think there are many hard working outdoor lift trucks out there that don't drip some kind of oil or fluid, so I flicked some Vallejo Oil Stain from an older brush onto the surface of the ramp as well.

I used these 3 AK and Vallejo weathering products.

If all goes well, this should be able to become quite a busy spur for the JSSX short line.

I still have a ways to go for track ballasting and ground cover in this general area of the layout. However, flat cars, box cars, and tank cars (when I can get a suitable tanker truck) for transloading will be able to be spotted into this spur.