What is best balast

YIPES, you're going to get 15 different answers to this one. I use Scenic Express ballast on my modules. You have a choice of size and color-combo, but it can be expensive for a large layout. My advice is to view any layouts you can before deciding. There are a number of inexpensive alternatives, but they still take the same ammount of time and care to apply.

I'm extremely hesitant to use the word "best". Our modular club uses Woodland Scenics Coarse Gray/Cinders in a 3:1 ratio. Works for us. I personally have used this w/ Atlas, Gargraves, and FasTrack. Put the Rossbed under your Ross switches and you'll make installation and ballasting a ton easier.

 

 

Gilly

Brennan's Better Ballast, Dennis has a complete process to antique the rail ballast the track then distress the ballast and the ties. It's not expensive, very fast and simply the best! I've done two large layouts with it. A added bonus you can pull all the track screws when your done. The ballast will hold the track in place.

 

Jamie

 

I use Brennan's Better Ballast [granite]. It has worked well for me. For some examples of it  being applied on my small attic layout:  see my recent photo post "Classic 0-5-0 ballasting machine" on this page.

I used ground up rubber on a now dismantled large layout and it worked okay but was like Mexican Jumping Beans to work with--probably just me..

As Gilly N&W said:

 

3 parts coarse medium gray.....one part coarse cinders.

 

Peter

The previous posters are right - it comes down to what you prefer. I like to use aquarium gravel.

I have heard of people using the ?gravel" or "grit" which are used in ashphalt shingles.

We

I used cat litter from a local pet store.  Just the plain clay kind with no scent and no dust.  It looks AWESOME with fasttrack!

We started using pigeon grit as ballast on our club layout. It works very well with Gargraves and has a great color.

Just to throw another option into the mix, the attached photos shows Brummy's rubber #2 grey ballast. The lighter area if "out of the carton" prior to glueing. The darker shade is as it appears after it is glued down. I like it; I think it helps quiet down the track even more. This Atlas"O" is on top of Woodland Scenics roadbed material.

I use starter size "Chicken grit" (not feed) available at farm supply stores. It is real fine stone. I believe real granite at that. It can come in gray but my local mill has a brand that is white. There is no correct color of ballast used on rail tracks as some use white others brown and gray depending on what the local quarry brings. I just toss in some dark gray latex paint with a tiny amout of brown and black and toss the gravel around for the proper color. I believe that I only paid about $5 or $7 for a 25 lb bag. Its much more economical to use this than paying 5 times the price for commercial model railroad ballast that has the fancy lable but is exactly the same product.  Other modelers have had success with roofing granules that are also affordable.

I have heard the asphalt granules contain bits of iron that can be picked up with magnetized wheels and gears. If you are going to use it I would run a magnet through it first.

 

Also using chicken grit you can color it to your liking with India ink. The longer you soak it the darker it gets.

 The following photo's show my ballast which is a Lizard Sand from PetSmart or such. In O Gauge with 1/4" = 1', Ballast should be about 1/16" and the Lizard Sand scales out pretty good in my opinion. It comes in a couple colors also. I think it comes in 5 lbs bags which goes a long way.

 

 

 

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I have used roofing tile granules and never had a problem with metal particles. Same results at our club.