Jake,
The finish is an odd mix of simple techniques, here we go:
First paint mate black your whole sanded or brushed piece.Let dry well for a few days and sand, or grind smoothly over surface to highlight texture. Apply marine varnish with a brush and don`t mind if the coat is thick. This`ll give a yellowish glassy finish with depressions darker of course due to black left in. Don`t use thinner with varnish as it may pull some black and give you a brown shine instead of a gold glassy one. Let dry real well and apply rusty tones like reddish, mustard,etc dubbing them all over, half mixing them not to get and homogeneous color, let this dry a bit so you would need a lightly damp cloth with gasoline to wipe the color off, leaving crannies, and depression with that rusty mix. This last step will be up to your taste in regards to have much rustiness you leave, in my case I think about something between 10-15 % left, the eye meter will tell you. Don`t use thinner to wipe it off or you may slightly soften varnish coat, and even get to mix some black in. The varnish I`m using gives a shiny yellowish tone which is the key to this finish. Sounds complicated? No, it`s easy. Enjoy discovering...Nelson

Chuck,
Actually the angle I took the picture is misleading and doesn`t show clearly the attitude of the two guys on the left. The one on top is telling the other with a hand sign, to keep quite so the two dumb(hard working) guys pushing the wagon at the back, don`t notice the bottle assault. The guy with the cork screw is mischievously trying to open the wine bottle and got a glass ready on the corner. For the upper part of the bodies I used actual rail track nails.
Glad you like it. Thanks. nelson.

Thanks Paula! Nelson

Hi Lin,

Really getting the movement was the part that took a bit more work... Thanks. Nelson.

Jim,
How`re you doing man? Hope you are ok. While making this wagon you and your work were always present in my mind. Needless to explain anything to a railroad parts sculpture expert. Your work inspired this one! It lacks deep human issues you know, it had to be funny for the intended target. This bud`s for you Jim. Thanks. Nelson.

Hi Moti:
Man what`s all that waah,waah stuff? LOL. just kidding, Ì`m going to guess it means something like wow, starts with W too... Thanks. Nelson.

Hi Nelson
when some one gets pleasure and joy unlimited from any good activity, and wants to apriciate from his real heart, these word come out.... Waah waah....! May be like wow, it is very similer to wow too, because the waa(h), h sound is less stressed or like silent. your wine wagon is really great I love it!