Ballasting track

[Joe323]

Is there any way to do this so the ballast actually sticks to the sides of the trak and doesn't make a big mess?

[CNE Runner]

There sure is Joe...it just takes a little time and patience.

After determining the color ballast you wish to install (you did know that ballast comes in differing colors - matching most prototype material?), carefully spread the ballast between the rails (between the rails...we will do the ties outside the rails later on). The ballast should end up just below the tops of the ties (vary this a little for interest). Now take a pipette (medicine dropper) and drop some 70% rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) on the track just to the outside of the rails - allowing it to 'wick' into the ballast that is in the center of the track. This might take a couple of minutes; but you should see the installed ballast become soaked. Ballast soaked? Good. Now (using a different pipette) follow the same procedure using either thinned matte medium, white glue, or scenic cement. Again, the ballast will 'wick' up the adhesive. After the ballast, at the center of the track, has dried, follow the same procedure for the ballast on the outside of the rails. The only difference is that you will be dropping the alcohol & 'glue' directly on the ballast grains.

To ballast the slope of the roadbed, I like to run a piece of sandpaper along the sharp angle between the roadbed slope and its top edge. This serves to 'round' that angle - allowing the ballast more surface area on which to adhere. OK, using a small paint brush, brush on some of your thinned adhesive (matte medium, white glue, or scenic cement...thinned to approximately 9:1 cement to water). Now sprinkle on the ballast material and allow to dry. When material dries, wet the ballasted slope with alcohol and follow up with more glue.

After everything is dry use a vacuum to suck up any loose particles. Also, using a toothpick, remove any ballast pieces that may have 'migrated' to the top of the ties. [Note: you might find that you have to redo a couple of spots.] The ballasted track is now ready for weathering (something for another thread).

Confused? If you are a subscriber to Model Railroader magazine you have access to their excellent website. Cody Grivino just did a little video on ballasting track that illustrates what I mentioned here...check Cody's Office out at http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=3929

Ballasting is time consuming - but the results are definitely worth the trouble.

Regards,
Ray

[Joe323]

Ray:

Thanks Yes I do subscribe to model Railroader I'll check out the video tonight at home.

[pdlethbridge]

There is some things to note about ballasting the track, if you plan to move the track, don't ballast it and you will find that the trains are louder on ballasted track. Otherwise, ballast to your hearts content.

[jward]

i pretty much do the same thing as ray, but my tools are a bit less expensive. i use an old eyedropper instead of a pipette for the alcohol, ans i use diluted (50%) white glue  applied directly from the glue bottle.

[Jim Banner]

And yet another variation.  Instead of alcohol, I mist the dry ballast with warm water with a few drops of liquid detergent in it, using an old Windex or similar spray bottle.  My suggestion is to try various ways and see what works best for YOU.

Jim

[jonathan]

I also like misting the ballast with 'wet water', from an old spray bottle, instead of alcohol.  No ill effects so far.  Funny how a drop of soap makes the water wetter.  What a concept...

Regards,

Jonathan

[OldTimer]

Be very careful around turnouts.  You can glue the throwbar in place.  Some folks use a little plastic compatible oil around the throwbar to keep the glue from sticking.  Also, while you're dressing things up, make sure no grains of ballast made it into the frog and guardrail flangeways.

I remember when I built my first layout, there weren't a lot of "designer" materials available.  I used bird gravel.  LOL