Ballast-Scenery Conflicting Info

brakie

Active Member
Okay, I always thought that ballasting track is done AFTER most of the ground cover and such is done. But last night I was going through a MR magazine from a couple years ago, there was an article on scenery that said the ballast should be done first.

Any opinions and advice?


Gary,Here is my thoughts on the matter..To my mind it doesn't really matter which is done first seeing that wild grass,weeds etc can grow through the ballast.For a short line look I perfer to add weeds along the edge of the ballast and perhaps wild grass in the ballast.
Like so:http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m210/Brakie-2/NOW-3.jpg

However,the main line should not look all neat and tidy.There should be some weeds and grass along the edges and in some areas showing though the ballast.Like so:http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m210/Brakie-2/Picture.jpg and http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m210/Brakie-2/Picture001-3.jpg

To my mind believability plays a large roll in ballast and scenery.
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Gary: what I've seen is that railroads lower the ballast around the points, probably to keep the mechanism clear. If you haven't fixed the track own yet, a very coarse sandpaper or such could be glued under the ties.
 

Gary S.

Senior Member
Poobah, I am thinking that I will use a paint brush to put glue on the cork between the ties around the points and throw bar. Then I'll sprinkle the ballast into the glue. The ballast will be lower in these areas, which is actually proto-typical as you mention.

Here are some photos of more of my ballasting:
 

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Gary S.

Senior Member
Brakie, thanks for the thoughts and the links. The pics are typical of what I am trying to achieve. I decided to do the ballast first, then I can add the weeds and stuff into the ballast edges.
 

cnw1961

Member
Gary, looking very good so far. As for the turnouts, I apply as little ballast as possible around the moving parts of my turnouts and then carefully drop the water/glue solution between the ties, trying not to overflow the area. As long as no ballast was on the ties, blocking the movement of the turnout, I never had any problems. Sometimes it was necessary to move the point rails by hand a few times after the glue had dried. That is all the special treatment my turnouts get, just being careful.
 

Gary S.

Senior Member
Kurt, that makes me feel more comfortable. I'm sure I can do it, just need to be careful. And thank you for the compliment on the ballast. Tomorrow I will be doing a marathon session of ballasting from sun-up to sun-down.
 

TrainNut

Ditat Deus
In the beginning of this thread, I was a supporter of ballasting last. I just thought of a good reason to ballast first - tunnels. It's a pain in the neck to ballast inside of a completed scenicked tunnel.
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
In the beginning of this thread, I was a supporter of ballasting last. I just thought of a good reason to ballast first - tunnels. It's a pain in the neck to ballast inside of a completed scenicked tunnel.

Been there! Learned that! :rolleyes:
Ralph
 
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