01-04-2010, 08:58 AM
Hey Stein -
I have been following your latest "train of thought" regarding the ballasting of your track, as I encountered the same issue on my layout. On my prototype, the yards were just blassted with cinders, since these railroads not only hualed and burned coal, but cinders were in abundant supply, being located so close to NYC. Thus, there were no such thing as perfectly maintained ballast profiles, ie; the PRR 4 track Broadway, until you got on to the mainline, and even then they weren't that nice. Anywho, that made laying my track easy. Al lI did was lay it directly on the foam, and I tacked it in place with long straight pins used for sewing. The ballast I used isn't even "real" ballast, ie; Woodland Scenics or other mfg., but rather black sanded tile grout. One of the guys that I operate with suggested with, and I only tried a small sample section on my layout, but I have yet to make the decison weather I like it or not yet. Oh, the reason I like it (other than the fact that it looks like cinders) is that because it is grout, it has it's own adhesive in it already, so all you have to do it wet it, and it sticks. No mat medium, no white glue needed.
I will try to post a photo soon for you to see.
Back to ballast profiles though, my suggestion is to use a combo of "flat" cinder ballasting and in-street trackage. Very few operations like yours or mine would have a nice "perfect" ballast job, UNLESS you were modeling something like a heavy-duty belt line, ie; Terminal RR of St. Louis or Belt RR of Chicago. Those would have a "mainline" of sorts, and would require a "propper" ballasting of the main tracks. But if you just want to model an inner city branch, flat is the way to go. As I always say, consult prototype photos if you can, but I see you have been looking for and finding other real-world examples online. Keep up the good work!
RAH
I have been following your latest "train of thought" regarding the ballasting of your track, as I encountered the same issue on my layout. On my prototype, the yards were just blassted with cinders, since these railroads not only hualed and burned coal, but cinders were in abundant supply, being located so close to NYC. Thus, there were no such thing as perfectly maintained ballast profiles, ie; the PRR 4 track Broadway, until you got on to the mainline, and even then they weren't that nice. Anywho, that made laying my track easy. Al lI did was lay it directly on the foam, and I tacked it in place with long straight pins used for sewing. The ballast I used isn't even "real" ballast, ie; Woodland Scenics or other mfg., but rather black sanded tile grout. One of the guys that I operate with suggested with, and I only tried a small sample section on my layout, but I have yet to make the decison weather I like it or not yet. Oh, the reason I like it (other than the fact that it looks like cinders) is that because it is grout, it has it's own adhesive in it already, so all you have to do it wet it, and it sticks. No mat medium, no white glue needed.
I will try to post a photo soon for you to see.
Back to ballast profiles though, my suggestion is to use a combo of "flat" cinder ballasting and in-street trackage. Very few operations like yours or mine would have a nice "perfect" ballast job, UNLESS you were modeling something like a heavy-duty belt line, ie; Terminal RR of St. Louis or Belt RR of Chicago. Those would have a "mainline" of sorts, and would require a "propper" ballasting of the main tracks. But if you just want to model an inner city branch, flat is the way to go. As I always say, consult prototype photos if you can, but I see you have been looking for and finding other real-world examples online. Keep up the good work!
RAH