ballast

[blackbeardroger]

Hi everybody
just started modelling again after many years and find your certainly spoilt for choice,can anyone give me some advice on ballasting track and country scenes all these different mats, scatter ,different size chips once i get started with the right stuff i should be ok just dont want to start of on the wrong foot.
cheers

[Flashbang]

Hi
Welcome to the forum.

Woodland scenics ballast and scatters etc are all good to use. I have also used Javis with reasonable effect.

Ballast is a personal choice but I recommend using 'N' gauge ballast on 'OO' track mixing 4 to 1 'N' with 'OO' ballast (4 of N to 1 of OO) See below text.


How to do this has been covered many times. These are my methods.

Track Ballasting..... You must be 100% sure of the track plan and also ensure smooth operation is all ok and also test the area of track is correct electrically, before ballasting. Otherwise, if errors are found after ballasting it is virtually irremovable! But this is the finish needed to retain the track.

My track is lightly pinned directly to the baseboard, which is 9mm WBP Plywood. No cork is used. Once I have finished wiring, I then test with as many locos and various types of rolling stock as practicable to ensure it's laid correctly and allows good running.

I have used ballast produced by a company called Javis, which is sold in large (7lb?) bags, but Woodland scenics range is a very good choice too. I use a mix of fine and fine-medium in the proportion of 4 to 1 (4 fine to 1 of fine-medium). You may prefer to use only fine ballast! It's really a personal choice. But it's a rule of thumb to use ballast in a size smaller than you're modelling in. i.e. "N" gauge or fine ballast for "OO" etc.

I apply it with a teaspoon, used like a mini shovel. Carefully tipping a layer of stones along the centre and both outsides of the track. I then use a wide Artists/Model type paint brush to gently move the stones into their correct position, sweeping forward all surplus stone. When sweeping ensure all stones are removed from the inner rail sides and sleeper tops. Any surplus is either removed by sweeping it onto a piece of paper or carefully added to the end of the area being ballasted.

**On points I apply a tiny strip of masking tape to both inside faces of the point blades - switch and stock rails, where the two would normally touch (before painting the rails) this is left in place until ballasting is completed. I also carefully remove any stones that have got in between the check rails and the running rails and also the frog area. Check too the open switch rail side is clear of stones.

Next I mix some woodworking PVA glue (cheapest brand I can find!) with water 50/50 and add a tiny drop of washing up liquid to help remove surface tension. Shake or stir the mix well.
I have an old plant mister bottle, but a well washed out former household cleaning spray bottle (as used originally to spray kitchen worktops etc) is also ok. I fill this with water and add a tiny drop of washing up liquid.
Now that the ballast is all in the correct place and your satisfied I spray the area with the water and WUL mix to dampen the ballast. Then using a Pipette I apply the glue/water/WUL mix to the ballast, so as the whole area is soaked. At this stage do not touch the ballast. Wait at least 24 hours and better 48 and then hoover off any unstuck ballast (there is always some that fails to stick!). Go back with the teaspoon and add a small amount of new ballast to the bald area(s). Apply a drop of the glue mix to bond it and wait again at least 24 hours. Then follow up with a second gentle hovering.

If points are involved in the ballasted area, I try to move them over and back several times during the drying period to ensure no glue has got into the point. Obviously this is only done during the first couple of hours or so as it's not possible to do this overnight or while you're at work etc.

If you used track pins to hold the track, now is the time to remove them. Now I use the track rubber to remove all tiny bits of paint and certainly some glue from the rail tops. Once the rails are clean, hoover again to remove all bits of glue/paint scrapings and any track rubber residue etc.

Next, I use an old four wheeled wagon and run it by finger over the area. It should feel to run without any binding or bump/bumping. If there is any then look to see what's causing it - Normally a small piece of stone is glued to the bottom of the rail, which can be levered off with a small screwdriver blade etc. Remove from the track the offending stone - It can if left, get into gearing etc and cause problems.

Once satisfied run a loco.

Landscaping... Grassing and other scatter items….
My method is to paint the base a dark brown colour or whatever colour is needed for the area to be covered with acrylic or poster paints. Leave to fully dry at least 24 hours. Then coat the area with neat woodworking PVA adhesive – any cheap make will do. Then sprinkle on a mixture of various shades of brown and green scatters. I also use foam scatters too, as these tend to be more like rough areas of grassland.
Once satisfied with the overall appearance, I then with the aid of an old, well washed out, kitchen sprayer bottle, mix up a dilute amount of 50/50 PVA / water with a tiny drop of washing up liquid added. This mixture is sprayed or misted over the whole area and left again for a minimum of 24 hours to dry – longer if possible.
Then with the aid of an old clean pop sock or tights leg tucked inside a vacuum cleaners nozzle and held around the outside, I vacuum up all the unstuck scatter and foam etc. It is collected for reuse in the old pop sock which is, once the hover is turned off, pulled out of the nozzle and emptied into a ‘Mixed scatter’ container.

There will be some areas that didn’t stick, so now apply with the aid of a artists or modelling paint brush some more neat PVA to the bald patches. Sprinkle some scatter from the ‘mixed scatter’ container onto the neat PVA and leave to set. At this stage you can add scenic clumps, trees or bushes etc all bonded to the scatter or baseboard with the neat PVA. Tip - around tree bases apply a little neat PVA and add some more ‘mixed scatter’ around the area, this will help hide the tree trunk join to the scenic’s or baseboard area.

This gives a basic idea...
(Rails unpainted)
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z311/Flash_bang/Hut.jpg
(Rails painted)
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z311/Flash_bang/IMG_1185.jpg

[Tricky Dicky]

Hi Flashbang

Just a follow up question. The first picture seems to show a raised ballast bed, how have you achieved that without something between the track underside and the baseboard?

Richard

[Flashbang]

Hi
All my track is laid directly onto the top of the baseboard. There is no cork or other material used under the sleepers.

By carefully ballasting the track it looks as though its on a raised ballast bed but in reality its not! :)

[blackbeardroger]

cheers flashbang