Any close-up pictures of HO track & ballast?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hi!

Almost ready to lay my first bit of track!

Any chance some of you can post a couple of close-up shots (from above looking down) of your HO track & ballast, particulary if it is on cork. Just want see how the rest of you do it.

I still cannot decide on code 83 or 100, so photos of both would be great.

Thanks.

2

Code 100 on cork:

Terry

3

Here’s my code 100 track.

On cardboard:

On cork:

On WS Trackbed:

Nick

4

I am NOT GOOD at this, but here is one pic of a early start. It is on foam, ballast laid, soaked with Wet Water and then with diluted white glue. I find this job tiresome and keep putting it off. I would rathjer build the scene. I have finished this section a little, but much learning is still needed. My ADVICE: Do some, you will learn more by doing than reading.

5

This is probably not quite what you are looking for, but here is a lot of ballast, some in focus, some not.

6

Sure!


Central Vally track with WS fine grey blend ballast.


Atlas code 83 with WS fine grey blend.
Tracks are painted with Rustoleum and Krylon camoflauge brown spray paint.

7

How about checking out the “how to” article from MR? I thought it was pretty clear and a great tutorial for “first timers”.

Jan 2007 “ballasting made easy”

http://www.trains.com/mrr.default.aspx?c+a&id+2005

Good Luck!

8

Here’s all I get on that link:

Server Error in ‘/’ Application.

*The resource cannot be found.*Description: HTTP 404. The resource you are looking for (or one of its dependencies) could have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please review the following URL and make sure that it is spelled correctly.

Requested Url: /mrr.default.aspx

9

Pic of ground throw 3

Here’s one with one of my home made ground throws. I use ME code 70 track and WS light gray fine ballast. I’m a Neanderthal who drives nails through the ties. I don’t find it objectionable, and I like the way I can make small adjustments by pulling a few nails levering the track to a new position, even after I ballast.

10

I’ve run into that a few times in the last couple days from the MR site.

11

This was meant to show the “scenic cover” between the two tracks, but the ballast is there as well.

This is HO Code 100 Atlas track (both flex and the turnout) over WS foam roadbed, with WS medium gray ballast.

There’s an Atlas switch machine hiding under the mound of scenery in the center. I hate the look of those switch machines, so any time I can bury one it makes my layout look just that much better.

12

Some on the club layout

Oh, wait a minute, that’s the 1:1 version

13

hey bog, that first picture: ME flex mainline with handlaid yard tracks?

14

Here’s code 83, 70, and 55 ME track next to each other at Oakhill on my current Bear Creek and South Jackson. Ballast is Smith & Sons.

Here some code 70 ME (with code 55 spur) on my Redland diorama

Regards,

Charlie Comstock

15

My advice: go with code 83.

Photo has code 83 foreground, code 70 siding both ME flex.

Guy

16

The 2 mainline tracks to the left are Walther’s/ Shinihara code 83, and yes the yard is handlaid. The club members decided to use the Walther’s over the ME.

17

18

Nice work Tomkat. Are these guys hard at work or hardly working? [:)]

Excellent replica of a worksite.

19

Wolfgang

20

Everybody is so generous with their time in posting their great pictures. Thanks from a newbie. I was wondering, for those that spray paint their tracks, how do you (or do you need to) clean off the tops for electrical contact?

Thanks