Simulating wood

This is a Red Caboose O-scale 40′ flat car injection plastic kit that is still around on eBay and pops up from time to time at train auctions and shows. The kit is excellent, high quality and what we are used to get when a box is labeled “Red Caboose”.

To make the plastic deck really look like wood requires some pre working. The deck is a separate part and I recommend painting it before assembly. I have covered the deck with Tamiya rattle can Primer in grey. The light gray color is the ideal base for weathered wood that has bleeched somewhat under the UV light of everyday’s sun.

Then I painted three shades of light brown, light yellow and grey, very much thinned down into a lasure over the individual planks to augment the different independent pieces of wood. I’ve finished the look with enamel washes by MIG Ammo. The last touch: A little bit of oil effects speckled onto the deck with a tooth brush, very careful, of course. This was a fun project and the car awatis a cool load!