Here is another feature of my layout that is arguably a flaw, which I have chosen not to correct:
The ballast is way to big, not even close to being scale. But so are the rails, particularly the height of the rails, of the O Gauge tubular track. IMO, that combination makes my way to big pebbles (ground up asphalt) ballast work. At the very least, it mitigates against the ballast being considered too big.
Please offer constructive criticism if you believe its warranted.
I will say, at the outset, that I would not use this ballast if I used scale size rails and track. Arnold
