Ballast Test - Would like your opinion.

I think it looks great.  Throw in the fact it's  $2.50 for 50 lbs and it becomes a no-brainer.

-Greg

I like it.  I would drop a magnet in the bag of ballast to make sure it is not ferrous.  If it sticks to the magnet, it will also stick to your expensive motors and magna-traction.

Chris Sheldon

Looks Really Good To Me!

Chief Bob (Retired)

Art,

I really like it. The second picture really shows the detail and it looks great.

Nice choice.

Tom

Art, that really looks good. Can't beat the price.

Bob

Looks great. Many people tend to use stuff that is too big. 

Art, do you have the product or SKU number of the sand you purchased? I really like how this looks! Wonder how it would look with O Tubular track?

Rusty

Art that ballast looks very life like.  It's probably one of the best I've seen.   I particularly like how there's a mixture of granule size.  It's a winner for sure.  BTW what road bed are you using?  The way it tapers looks fantastic.

Are you sure this is sand? It is much coarser than the sand I am used to seeing. Whatever it is it is perfect. Nick

It looks OK, if you like it use it.   But... I have never seen ballast with so much variability in size.   You show some pieces almost large enough to span the distance between ties.   You might try straining your ballast to get a more consistent size - the smallest range of stones look OK to me.

Here is what I like for the edges of my Fastrack:  its actually two sizes mixed together to get the range or stones that looks to me, to be accurate for the range that I see.

I counted the number of stones spanning the distance between ties on the mainlines around here (North Georgia), and tried to get a mix with the same count.   That will of course vary from location to location.   Anyway bottom line is if you like it, go with it, the appearance is good.

I think to looks good.

Diverging Clear posted:

Art, do you have the product or SKU number of the sand you purchased? I really like how this looks! Wonder how it would look with O Tubular track?

Rusty

Rusty it is marketed at Menards as Traction Sand. Their SKU #1891087.  

Art

I think that looks great. I have some sections I'd like to try that on. What's the Menard's SKU number?

wild mary posted:

Art that ballast looks very life like.  It's probably one of the best I've seen.   I particularly like how there's a mixture of granule size.  It's a winner for sure.  BTW what road bed are you using?  The way it tapers looks fantastic.

Thanks, Nick.  I use Woodland Scenics foam roadbed, but there is nothing on this sample.  I just laid in on the wood piece to see what it would look like.  I just shaped it with a large paint brush.

Art

I like the variations in color and size, and the price is exactly in my cheapo wheelhouse -- good choice!

I agree with everyone else Art. I think it looks great!

Im liking it!!

Same here Art, looks good!

That stuff NAILS it, Mr. Art! 

Paul.

Art, that looks great, up to you but I would say run with it. I think the finished product will look life like.

It gets my vote.  Just make sure there is nothing else in there that could cause corrosion or electrical issues later. No salt products. 

If you are trying to mimic modern day ballast, it's great, as the rock in today's ballast (1970's through today) is definitely larger than in the transition era.  For the 1950's I would recommend something smaller.

Art,

Roofing granules are pretty cheap, come in many different colors & blends, plus are pretty standard size and scale wise.

Looks OK to me, Art. Especially for main line track. For sidings and yards, you might go with much darker stuff, lick Woodland Scenics course cinders, which could be applied over the top of cheap sand-box sand (must be dried first), in order to save on expensive ballast materials.

Thanks for your replies and excellent comments and advice.  I looked again at one of my Milwaukee Road reference books and they really did not do a very good job on their track, especially when you get out to Northwest Iowa on a branchline.  I do not want to make it too run down looking, but not anywhere near BNSF or UP standards either.  That gives me a fair amount of latitude.  The difference will be most noticeable where the lines meet such as my two interchange tracks.  I will ballast the switches with the better ballast and then start the sand shortly after.  I am assuming that the major RR's would have maintained the switches.

Also I think I should try to sift some of the larger pieces out so I don't have to spend so much time picking them out with tweezers.  The color may darken a slight bit when I glue it down, but hopefully not much.

What kind of RR signs would be at an interchange track?  Which RR would put them up? Or would both RR's have their own signs?  Should there be a small tower or RR building there to man the switch?  Would both RR's have keys to the switch or just one?

Art

Looks great ART!!!  I agree with the sifting part too.  Get those chunks out.

Looks good. We use #16 construction sand. It's pretty consistent size-wise, but the color is pretty light. We tested some that we had spray-painted but decided to just use it as-is. We got a 100-pound bag for about $10 (California) and still have about half of the bag (and that's with members grabbing a few pounds for other projects).

Looks great and as long as you like it then it's fine! I'm using Brennan's Better Ballast on mine, and it seems to look good on fastrack. He incorporates a lot of darker stone mixed with it which I like a lot.

I think it looks nice. There is just one problem in using native/natural sand for ballast, and many will not notice this . Natural sand, as you are using, is mostly roundish particles. Railroad ballast is made from crushed rock, and as such, it is mostly angular, with little to no round particles.

As I said, this probably will not bother most people. However, I managed rock crushing plants that made railroad ballast. So, this round vs angular issue bugs the heck out of me. If you want the look of angular particles, and want use an inexpensive sand material, there is a sand commonly called "manufactured sand" that is available. It is a fine, waste product produced when large rocks are crushed into small rocks.  Many landscape supply stores carry it by the bag, although it may be called by some other name, like "Rock Dust".

Jeff

I think it looks just fine.

By the way, every time someone mentions roofing granules I check their availability online. Neither Home Depot or Lowe's have them available in-store or for delivery and the one seller that I looked at a 60 lbs. bag is $38 and change plus $58 and change for shipping.

Geez!

Mike

ezmike posted:

I think it looks just fine.

By the way, every time someone mentions roofing granules I check their availability online. Neither Home Depot or Lowe's have them available in-store or for delivery and the one seller that I looked at a 60 lbs. bag is $38 and change plus $58 and change for shipping.

Geez!

Mike

Mike, I am having lunch with some train buddies today and one of them is using roofing granules on his layout.  I liked the look of what he has, but it is too light for me and the look that I want.  He has a friend that owns a roofing company and he can get about anything he wants I believe.  Any reasonably large city should have roofing companies that sell these granules, at least that is what I have been told.  I'm going to explore this subject in more detail with him today and will post what I find out.

Art

mowingman posted:

I think it looks nice. There is just one problem in using native/natural sand for ballast, and many will not notice this . Natural sand, as you are using, is mostly roundish particles. Railroad ballast is made from crushed rock, and as such, it is mostly angular, with little to no round particles.

As I said, this probably will not bother most people. However, I managed rock crushing plants that made railroad ballast. So, this round vs angular issue bugs the heck out of me. If you want the look of angular particles, and want use an inexpensive sand material, there is a sand commonly called "manufactured sand" that is available. It is a fine, waste product produced when large rocks are crushed into small rocks.  Many landscape supply stores carry it by the bag, although it may be called by some other name, like "Rock Dust".

Jeff

Jeff, I really appreciate your post.  I was wondering about that, but wasn't sure.  It is funny because so many times something will look great to me until an expert points out some flaw and then it will bug me from then on.  My dear mother used to say "what you don't know doesn't hurt you."  I'm not sure that will be the result in this case, but I would rather learn it before I take the plunge than afterwards.  Thanks for your input.

Art

It is very easy to darken sand or stone by shaking it up in a bottle of ink/alcohol mixture. You can use black or brown ink. Spread it out to dry.

Art,

 I don't think of myself as an "expert", just an old rock breaker.   Besides, you know what the definition of an "expert" is, don't you: Expert = a has-been drip.

Jeff

Thanks Art I am going to get some of that! Nick

I have pile of stone called “crusher run 5/8” minus” that I sift with a kitchen strainer. I use the sifted fines next to the track and the coarse material on banks. The track is Fastrack. 

I use Brennans Better Ballast 

https://brennansmodelrr.com/catalog

Whats Menards?

ezmike posted:

I think it looks just fine.

By the way, every time someone mentions roofing granules I check their availability online. Neither Home Depot or Lowe's have them available in-store or for delivery and the one seller that I looked at a 60 lbs. bag is $38 and change plus $58 and change for shipping.

Geez!

Mike

You need to look for a roofing contractor most likely. Home Depot near me stocks it, though just one color. They or Lowes, etc. may be able to order it though any roofer should have no trouble and they come in the full rainbow of colors including Bright Blue if you so chose for Thomas and Friends, or Pinkish for C&NW, etc.

Art,

Thanks for adding the product information, I went to my local Menard's and got a bag today.

Your use and pictures gave me ideas for my layout.  Thanks for your progress updates they are full of great ideas.

Always learning and big fan, Thanks Art.

Tom