ballast

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I was looking for advice on unitrack n scale and ballast; on a small layout module 2x4 or switching layout, is it dificult to reuse kato track after balasting ,and how do i clean up sections to change layout, I know to use 50/50 glue & water but do i reduce mixture in case i change layout later. thanks

2

Isn’t Kato N scale Unitrack already ballasted?

Rich

3

I assume we are talking N scale? I’d I plan on reusing the track I would not ballast. However I believe that soaking the track in water will remove white glue and ballast.

4

LION uses cat litter for ballast. Him never glues it. Easy to make changes. Gravity works just fine.

ROAR

5

I glue down the ballast in order to better hold the track in place. I have taken out a couple of sections and there was no problem removing and reusing the ballast as long as there was not plaster nearby. (Plaster causes little white chunks when you rip off).

Having said that, if you are using unitrack, i don’t know that adding ballast really adds that much more to the realism.

NP

6

Water should remove the ballast from your unitrack

7

After building the area around the Unitrack-I used tube chalking-the ballast improves the over all look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP47hadf5gA

8

When I ballast (on track without molded on roadbed) I first paint the area with full strength adhesive. I use Matte Medium, but white glue will work just fine). Then I lightly dust the track with ballast. This gives it some tooth to hold the rest of the ballast in place. Then I puta heavy, shaped layer of ballast, wet itwith 35% isopropyl alcohol (the drug store kind diluted 50:50), then add matte medium diluted 1:4 with filtered water. It holds the ballast just fine at that ratio.

You would probably have the most success just doing my first step, that is, full strength adhesive and a light sprinkling of ballast. As long as youuse a water souable adhesive, it will be removeable later. It’s not like you’d be removing ballast from the entire section anyway. Only the joints would need to come apart.

9

White glue is water soluble, matte medium is not. You need isopropyl alcohol to remove matte medium.

Rich

10

Only the joints would need to come apart.

Not necessarily true one could decide to change the ballast entirely.

with white glue on Nickel Silver EZ track and the like I find water and a bit of light scraping removes the ballast.