I am currently building a 4 mainline 15x12 layout and I need to ballast.
I need to know are there cheeper alternatives to the hobby shop 1qt. ballast (ie: sand?)
And if so the best way to apply it, color it etc… Any help would be appriciated.
Go to your local HD or Lowe’s and check out the selection of Paver Sand. It comes in several colors (to match the paver stones), so you can choose the corrct color for your ballast, and you can get a 50# bag for under $4. Sift it and you get excellent cheap ballast.
another good cheap source of balast is silica sand used for sand blasting. It also comes in economicly priced bags at the hardware stand I understand.
My choice was to go to my uncles ranch and fill a 5 gallon bucked full of “oil bearing shale” it is shale rock but because it is bearing crude oil it is a dark gray color. crush it up int fine chunks and it makes great balast
I’ve been known to use sand and once in a while I use sawdust from a band saw. This is very fine sawdust, almost like powder and it’s easy to dye.
Infill with cheap substitute if you must but top coat with WS fine ballast of the approprate colour PLEASE. [8D] If you want good looking track it’s worth the cost.
Um [%-)] I’ve done one or two short posts on ballast… [%-)]
If a cheaper alternative is found that looks every but as good as WS ballast, why waste the money?
Or maybe you’re a shareholder? [}:)]
I never really checked into this. Is this paver sand stone dust (granite) or actually colored sand? You say you sift it so how fine is the stuff you ballast with.
It would sure beat coloring masonry or silica sand.
Don’t know what the composition actually is–looks like colored sand to me–but the brand name on the bags I have is Pavestone. I just put it into a cheap kitchen screen collander and the result is excellent: fine particles that can be used as ballast or dirt, and larger ones that make great talus.
Q1. Answer- totally agree… have you found anything that good… and consistant - straight out of the bag/pot? Also it depends a lot on the look you want to achieve… and how you feel about presenting your finished layout.
Q2. Answer - No… do you know where I can buy them? Given the prices over here [:O] I should get some [:-,]
If anyone hasn’t noticed i’m a complete believer in building up base levels of ballast and then superdetailing the top including “weathering” to give track as much “history” as the locos and cars that run on it.
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Yes, I have. When I use commercial ballast, I always opt for Highball brand. Don’t like WS at all.
Highball Brand? Never heard of it [8)] Where’d you get it? Does it come in scale/size grades? Different colours? What do you glue it with? Please? TIA [8D]
Highball Products’ “Genuine Limestone Ballast” comes in scales from O to Z (and, they say, “Meets A.R.E.A. standards for 3/4” to 2 1/2"); in these colors: cinder, dark grey, limestone, brown, light grey, black, and grey mix. One pound bags. I’ve always found it in my hobby shop.
Far superior to WS, IMHO.
I hadn’t thought of the paving sand thing…
But I do use a sifted, clean sand as a filler base and then layer on some “real” stone ballast to finish it out. I’ve used both High Ball and AZ Rock & Mineral Co. http://www.rrscenery.com/ with great success. Both are very consistent in quality.
I don’t really like the WS stuff because it is SO light in weight (blows and washes away too easily) and is very sensitive to static electricity (getting it off the rails and ties), which I seem to have plenty of.
My 2 cents worth.
This is the first posting I have made. I really appriciate all of the responses. I will check for Pavestone, sounds awesome. I am modelling CSX, NS, Conrail, etc. Midwest theme. So a light limestone color would be perfect!
Thanks Again!!!
Excellent quality from Phil at Arizona Rock and Mineral at a reasonable price. I just got a couple of boxes last weekend. He turned around 30 bags of ballast and other stuff in less than a week. Nothing beats real stone.
jbinkley 60: I too, am truly impressed with AZ Rock & Mineral and I couldn’t agree with you more! Phil is a super guy to deal with and really does have a line of great ballasts. Other products for that matter too. I have also used his paving and roofing products with great success!
Scott: You wrote that you are doing NS, CSX and Conrail. Ironically, I just got some Kennesaw Blend (NS / CSX) ballast from Phil. It’s some really nice looking stuff.
Enough singing praises about real stone ballast. I should get out to the Trainroom and get some of that ballast down!