06-27-2011, 09:51 PM
I've been following this thread for a while. I really like the modern equipment and buildings and you've made great progress so far. 
I hope to include some of the flavour of an ISL in my layout expansion if I can fit it in. Or I have to maybe consider building a separate shelf layout for our computer room! The shelf above our computer is looking a bit underused. 
As for your ballast, to me some of the "grains" actually look too smooth and shiny (or is the shine from the camera flash or lighting?). I thought ballast is usually rough so that individual "grains" will lock together. The ballast I see in your closeup is more like river rock in texture or at least that's the way it seems to show up in the photos.
There is also a lot of colour variation (grays, browns, blacks, reds, etc). Washes might be able to take care of that.
I applaud though your determination in building this ISL in South Africa where some hobby supplies are harder to get. I'm sure you'll find some ballast that you'll like.
I hope to include some of the flavour of an ISL in my layout expansion if I can fit it in. Or I have to maybe consider building a separate shelf layout for our computer room! The shelf above our computer is looking a bit underused. As for your ballast, to me some of the "grains" actually look too smooth and shiny (or is the shine from the camera flash or lighting?). I thought ballast is usually rough so that individual "grains" will lock together. The ballast I see in your closeup is more like river rock in texture or at least that's the way it seems to show up in the photos.
There is also a lot of colour variation (grays, browns, blacks, reds, etc). Washes might be able to take care of that.
I applaud though your determination in building this ISL in South Africa where some hobby supplies are harder to get. I'm sure you'll find some ballast that you'll like.
Marc
Bar Extension - 5' x 2.5' N-scale layout plus two decks of shelf layout
Bar Extension - 5' x 2.5' N-scale layout plus two decks of shelf layout