A quick and simple method to get rid of the plastic new freight car look is to spray a light coat of Dullcoat.  This will take away the 'toy' train look of your layout.  If you don't have any Testor's Dullcoat you can use any Matte Finish spray to get the same results.  Just a simple spray to each side and let dry.  This can be done to any plastic kits also.

Is so awesome!! Not exactly prototypical, but Milwaukee Road none the less! So glad someone made this!!

Well here goes nothing. I bought a MTL F-7  trainset, a GP-35 trainset, also a Marklin 81466  Micado steam loco set.I also got 2 packs flex track [ ... ]

Micro-Trains Grain Tower Build by Modelersguild.com

Oh I can feel it, the empire is growing. Granted it is Z scale yet that diminishes nothing in the [ ... ]