Ok, the plywood pacific is ready for some scenery and ballast, but where to start first? Ballast and then ground cover, roads, sculptamold etc. or ballast after all the ground cover is complete?
Ballast last, because that way it covers up the rough edges of the sculptamold, plaster, etc.
I second that…
Plus, it gives you time to run your trains longer and fix any problems before you ballast…after which point it becomes more difficult.
Brian
Ballast should go after the scenery…just like in the prototype 
Don’t forget the last four letters of “ballast” is “last”!
And the first four letters is “ball” so have a ball doing it last. lol
I have seen earnest responses to similarly titled threads stating that they like to do their ballasting first, and to then add scenery, or at least, ground foam and bushes, etc, later to cover up irregularities. Shady practice, if you ask me. [:D]
I will add my emphatic voice to those above and say to hold off until your track, over time, is proven once and for all. By then, you can have your scenery laid, and then pour your ballast to look like it does wherever trains run…added over the prepared roadbed, which in turn was engineered out of the local terrain. Go thou, and do likewise.
That is, if you don’t go “BALListic”
Actually I enjoy ballasting. There’s a zen to it. Make sure you put your favorite CDs (or MP3 playlist) on.
I thank-you for your quick replies.
Then Scenery FIRST it is![{(-_-)}]
I do it at the same time.
Rough scenery first…plaster, paint, first layer of texture.
Then…ballast, and courser textures.
Finally…water, trees, roads, and structures.
Nick
definetly do it last; for the reasons that the others have said. And also because it looks more realistic that way!