Ballast?

Just my opinion but, I can never understand why some folks want to save money on one of the most visible, and most important, components of model railroad scenery, i.e. the potentially spectacular finished effect of properly ballasted track. Bight the bullet and purchase the best looking ballast you can find, that attempts to duplicate the era you are trying to model.

If you are concerned about the cost of "high end" ballast products, the first apply a layer of cheap sand-box sand ($3.50, max.,  for 50 pounds from Home Depot). Dry the sand first in 5 gal buckets, spread the sand on your track, then cover it with a thin layer of the "expensive ballast".  When it looks the way you want it, moisten the whole thing with cheap 70% alcohol, and glue with diluted Matt Medium. When it all dries, you will never see the sand nor the glue. Our whole layout is ballasted in this manner, as well as all the scenery.

Discussed many times. Try the SEARCH function.

IMO, properly sifted and applied kitty litter can produce results every bit as good as commercial material, as can several other commonly-available materials. Saving money is just a bonus. Spending money doesn't guarantee good results, and saving money doesn't guarantee second-rate results.

Thanks guys.  I ended up finding the thread on this topic.

Ponz

I see ballast being sold for what I think is highway robbery prices.  "Genuine granite", 15# for prices like $49.00, shipped to your door !!!   A visit to any quarry that caters to contractors and the public, will be an eye opener to those not familiar with the price of crushed stone.  I frequent Langhorne quarry in Langhorne , Pa.  They sell all sorts of crushed stone, river stone, blue stone, building stone, etc.  I buy gray screenings, which is the left over particles from crushing stone.  The size of these screenings varies from dust to particles about 1/8".  For my garden railway I use it as is because the different sized particles knit together when it gets wet.  And it becomes semi-solid.  However it is easily loosened with small garden tools.

I take five gallon buckets in my truck and load them myself.  I can get half a ton for about $20.00.  Way more than most indoor layouts would need, but of course lesser quantities can be purchased at the same rate per pound.  

Now, if you don't want the dust particles for your indoor pike, you can sift it through a piece of window screen.  But get SWMBO's permission before you start ripping off the screens on her windows.  

In my own experience with ballasting "O" gauge track, I prefer not to do it.  Particularly on tubular track where you may be making changes.  For me it's more trouble than it's worth.  But of course if you are modeling a more realistic layout, the ballast is a no-brainer.  

I do what Dan does, I get the screenings, also known as concrete sand or moon dust. I use a window screen and sift out the larger non scale particles. This is good for G scale outdoor layouts though, so if you have one save the larger stuff, or add to your driveway, or in my case, the dirt and gravel alley behind my house. 

Don

Hurray!  The weekly ballast thread!!! 

mwb posted:

Hurray!  The weekly ballast thread!!! 

More interesting than the "oil change" threads that all the car guys have to live with. 

Lather, rinse, repeat!

Don

On my Train Board in Florida. My Town installing Sewers There using crusted Sea Shells for back full. So, I tried some on my Train Board and it really worked nice.

I must  of saved about $ 100.00 dollars.

My Train board is 24' X 8'. 

Good luck, John 

The problem I had with commercial ballast was shipping! It pretty much doubled the cost of the product! I started my layout using WS ballast as an experiment. It was fine but I ran out and getting more was going to be very expensive for what this product actually is. Would it "break the bank?" NO, but that misses the point!

When I feel I am being gouged, as on shipping, I just refuse to participate if I can find alternatives. Cat litter was one such alternative. It worked to my satisfaction with a caveat.

You can not "work the ballast" while it is wet. It will turn to mush. This really is not a great problem! When hardened, it is as durable as any other ballast AFAIAC. My cat shows no inclination to, er . . ., "use" it.

But, after contacting Brennan's through this board. I bought enough of their ballast to finish my layout.

I was happy enough with the appearance of the litter. But, it shows a tendency to contract when drying, causing cracks. These did not cause me any great angst.

In summary, IMO:

Cat litter ballast . . .good.

Commercial ballast . . . better.

US residents will likely have no trouble getting a commercial product delivered for reasonable cost. Canadians, "not so much!"

Which appearance one prefers is likely a matter of taste! Both looks equally fine to my eye.