on a double mainline , does the ballast cover in between the to lines, or would there be grass between the lines?
? about ballast ....
- Thread starter ozzy
- Start date
its funny, a see double maine lines all the time, but i never pay att,. or think to look. wish i did, as i was planning to start ballasting tonight.
Yes, this is a good question. Originally, I had just ballast but later added in the grass and it at least looks much better! Still not 100% sure which is right though. Rob
RobertInOntario said:
this might be the best way, that would be the easy way i think, ballast it all and then put grass in latter if thats how it should be.
ok proto pic
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=721291
looks like a gap on main but most in a yard are level
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=721291
looks like a gap on main but most in a yard are level
ok , from the pic, looks like the ballast/gravel is between the 2 lines but theres a dip/low spot .
I think that would depend on the era and the class of the railroad. On some shortlines, you have to part the weeds just to find the track. On class I railroads big enough to warrant a double track main, I think grass and weeds would look out of place.ozzy said:
Just my opinion. As I am frequently reminded by Mrs. Torpedo, I have been wrong.
On a double mainline for a big RR it would have a dip in the middle to pool and drain water. For a double mainline on a small or poor RR it would have a lot less ballast and therefore it would have a patche of ground between the ballast for the grass etc to grow.
So if your RR is a big high fancy expensive one then no rass. If it is small and poor etc then yes to grass.
I hope that helps.
So if your RR is a big high fancy expensive one then no rass. If it is small and poor etc then yes to grass.
I hope that helps.
Steam locos used to scorch the vegetation out from between the tracks; diesels don't do a very good job of it.
But in the steam days, passenger cars used to add fertilizer to the roadbed as they travelled.
But in the steam days, passenger cars used to add fertilizer to the roadbed as they travelled.
Funny you should mention that. When I used to walk the tracks as a kid, I never did see any weeds between the rails. The only thing I saw laying there were . . . . . Well, never mind.60103 said:Steam locos used to scorch the vegetation out from between the tracks; diesels don't do a very good job of it.
But in the steam days, passenger cars used to add fertilizer to the roadbed as they travelled.
I've seen the above mensioned of a small dip between the two rights of way, but in a yard I've seen that the ballast can be level between the two tracks too.
Yard tracks are not usually ballasted in the same way as the mainline, which is why the ballast appears to be level. In the yard, the railroad would remove dirt and fill with gravel before laying the track because the gravel will compact better to keep the track level. Train speeds in the yard are kept to a crawl, hump yards being the exception, but retarders on the tracks coming off the hump still hold down the speeds. One purpose of the ballast on the mainline is to stabilize the track for high speed train operation.
WHY CANT MY BALLAST GLuE DOWN, AND STAY DOWN!....GRRRRRRR!
i see modulars at shows that they can turn them up side down and back and nothings out of place. i cant get any of mine to stick!.
i see modulars at shows that they can turn them up side down and back and nothings out of place. i cant get any of mine to stick!.
ozzy my heart goes out to you. I hope you figure it out cause im going to have do some time (hopefully sooner than later) loooollllllll