Choosing the right ballast

I knew you did!  I guessed it!

 

But, unfortunately my phone died and I couldn't text you!

 

Do you think it is too big for O scale?  Should I be getting the HO ballast?

 

Thanks,

Mario

I've used their products for at least 25 years.  Started when I was in Large Scale Narrow Gauge.  It's what I now have on my layout.  I like it a lot.  I'm almost positive they grind their ballast from rock gathered at the local it is supposed to represent.

 

Southwest Chief Desert Plum Ho Mainline Scale Ballast

 

 

 

Get HO, especially if you are doing Code 148.  Forum member Rich Montague and I discussed ballast.  His advice was think of the size of a piece of ballast in your hand.  Then think of model ballast in the hand of a scale figure. Good advice.

 

I'll text you with a comparison of ballast from the region I'm basing my layout and the AZ Rock and Mineral product.   

That's exactly what I wanted to know...

 

Thanks!

I make mine from local gravel that is representative of what's used on lines in my area. I use the concrete sand, also called screening, or moon dust. I sift it through a window screen, then I use a screen that is a little larger for the next size bigger. I mix a little of the larger gravel with the finer gravel. If I see any pieces that look too big, I pick them out with a precision tweezer. 

I use gray, red, and a mixture of the red and gray. All three colors are or were used in northeast PA. I have even taken some ballast from the tracks behind my house, and crushed it up. Then I compared the screening to the ballast I crushed, and it was the same. 

I use the same process when I make wood chip loads; I use yellow pine saw dust from a factory nearby that makes wood reels for wire. I get it by the truck load, and sift some for the loads, and use the rest for the garden.

Don

Don,

 

That looks great!  thanks for the post!

 

How did you crush rocks? Hard time?

 

Thanks,

Mario

What about N scale cinders for under the ballast?

 

How do I know that the color is right? The Central's ballast looks a little yellow. 

 

Thanks,

Mario

Yard, siding, and mainline ballast are very different in size as well. Mainline ballast is the largest, and it sucks to walk in. Its there for a purpose though, and walking is NOT 1 of them.

Mario,

When I did crush it, I made a small steel box, (about 6 inches square), with a steel bottom. I made a pestal out of solid steel round stock, and used these to crush the rock. I would sift it through the screen, and return the larger material back to the tray to re-grind. I wouldn't recommend this for making track ballast, as it is labor intensive. I just did this to make an experimental load. It's much easier to buy the finer material and screen it. Local building supply houses would have local materials. Some sell it in bags, which is how I buy mine. Whatever I deem too big for my use, I scatter in the alley behind the house to fill in the ruts. The bigger material would probably be the right size for G scale, but I don't have any G scale trains. I suppose I could save it for someone with G scale trains.

Good luck with your project.

Don

I can attest to it not being condusive to walking on!

Don

Lately I've been thinking about ballast too. I measured some ballast up here in Massachusetts and each piece is, in general, 3-6 inches with a lot of variability in shape. That would make each piece of our O gauge ballast between 1/16th and 1/8th inch with the bias toward the 1/16th size.

 

Ed Kazarian

That's the comparison I used when I chose the screen sizes for my ballast. 

Don

I took samples from a mainline in Kansas City. The ballast sizes range from the smallest at 1/2" to the largest at 6" with the majority of the pieces in the 3, 4  5" sizes. My Brennan's Better Ballast accurately duplicates that size distribution. Also, the ballast is varied in color-- it's color distribution being made up of 3 shades of gray, light medium and dark.

I chose crushed granite from a local granite supplier. Looks great and is the real thing. Can't beat the price as well, 50 lbs., for under $ 10.00.

I’m glad Passenger Train Collector brought this up. One can always search around and find a cheaper alternative.  However, the idea that commercial ballast is too expensive is not true in comparison to other train related purchases.

 

To put it in perspective, a 5 pound bag of my ballast will cover 22 feet of Atlas O or GarGraves track.  And, I can fit 5 bags of my ballast in a USPS Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate box for 11.95 shipping.  So, 25 pounds of Brennan’s Better Ballast (if you need that much) is about equal to the cost of a Lionel , MTH or Atlas O boxcar, or even less than a Menards or Woodland Scenics pre-built kit .  Remember, ballast is a limited expense. In the grand scheme of things, you will purchase many more train cars or buildings.  And, even in the largest layout, using 10 or more bags of ballast, the cost will be less than the cost of a mid range steam engine. And if your layout is that big, I offer a discount on 10 or more bags.

 

The point is, I have many satisfied customers and I don’t expect to get everyone’s ballast business. But, before you make a decision on a major scenic element of your layout, don’t base it solely on a misguided sense of economy.

Thank you all!

 

This is great, and given me a lot of options...

 

Dennis, have you some pictures of the Rail Yard Black?

 

Thanks,

Mario

My Yard ballast is on the inside track. I have also added a touch of Superior Sand over the top to add some pop. I'll be happy to send a sample for your perusal. 

Ok, so just based on customer service... I can tell you that Dennis has the lead!

 

Quite simply... He is great!  I can't wait to see his stuff and get it down under my test road bed!

 

Thanks,

Mario

Dennis Brennan is simply the best! Not only does he offer a superior product, but he is always willing to share his knowledge which will eliminate trial and error yielding the best result without experimentation.

I've bought quite a bit of ballast from Dennis also. Great customer service & great to talk to.