? about ballast ....

Renovo PPR

Just a Farmer
? What are you doing? I spread the glue first then place the ballast. Then I spray the top of the ballast with more than enough glue to give it a even coat.
 

ozzy

Active Member
oh trust me, theres lots of clue! i used a dropper with scenic cement. its soaked it down good. but i did not put any glue down first, ( how do you keep the ballast from sticking to the ties if ya put glue down first)


with the grass, i spread out elmers white glue down ( its a flat serface) then put the grass down , then spreyed scenic cement over the grass.
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
I read about an excellent ballasting method in a special issue of Model Railroader. Basically, after positioning the ballast exactly how you want it, you then soak it thoroughly with rubbing alcohol. Then, you cement it with a 50/50 mix of white glue and water. It works extremely well. For some reason, the rubbing alcohol holds everything nicely in place. Then the glue/water mix soaks in and holds it very well in place. I can provide more info if needed, or look up the special MR issue -- it came out about a year ago. Cheers, Rob
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Check here for my method, which, of course, is not the only way that works.;)

My first layout- some questions

Btw, in response to your original question, the CN main line through here, which was originally double track, but has been reworked as single track with passing sidings, has ballast between the two lines. In some places it is depressed slightly between the tracks, whereas in other areas it is level completely across, from track to track. In the summer, there are weeds growing in abundance, even though this is an extremely busy line. It looks like there's going to be an extensive tie replacement on a lot of this line, going on this summer, unless the midnight landscape gardeners swipe all those brand new ties laid out along the right-of-way.
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Wayne
 

ozzy

Active Member
ok, i got up this morning to find out that the ballast is not glued/stuck down. it to almost 3 days for it to do that tho. guess its not very fast drying stuff?...lol
 
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