Ballasting Tips?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I’ve never done much with scenery before. I recently got Woodland Scenics Subterrean Scenery kit that is a mini scene. I’d drop a link but the Woodland Scenics web page isn’t linking friendly. This is their N-Scale 12"x24" diorama, the SubTerrain Scenery Kit.

I did some ballasting of a small area that is in the tunnel and I’m not that impressed with my efforts. I was wanting to get some tips on what I might do differently next time. I followed the recommendations in the book of filling the center with pouring in a small amount and then I used a brush to spread it so that the ties still showed and little/no ballast was on the ties as best I could.

I then gave it a light spray of the scenic cement that came with the kit and wandered off to let it dry.

Upon returning it looks like it settled a bit with the liquid cement, and when rolling a car across it seems a bit rough. Are you supposed to clean up the track afterwords with anything? Or did I do something wrong.

2

I am by no means an expert but I’ve learned a few helpful tips from books and members of this forum. A while ago someone posted an idea that used an electric razor to vibrate the ballast into place. I tried it and it works pretty well, and its a lot easier than using a paintbrush. Before spaying any cement, try running a car across the track to knock down any ballast that might be in the way of the wheel flanges. Then mist the ballast with some “wet water” (water with a few drops of detergent or dish soap added) This lowers the surface tension of the water which helps the cement wick its way between the ballast instead of forming clumps on top. Spray the scenic cement in a few light layers, not all at once. Let the cement dry and then clean the track with a Bright Boy or some other track-cleaning block. Make sure you clean both the top and inside of the rail. I hope this helps!

3

Nothing wrong at all, just incomplete. Have a look at Joe Fugate’s tutorials in the Clinic on Realistic Scenery (sorry, I haven’t got it in my favourites as I have become highly familiar with the contents long since).

Yes, you use a small spoon to pour a small line of the stuff between the rails, then use a somewhat stiff brush to spread it along the axis of the rails. Leave only enough to cover the roadbed between the ties. You want the believable look, not what you see in a photo necessarily…it will be very difficult to achieve in N-scale anyway…but do as you are determined to do. Experiment until you find a good method.

Next, pour thin lines of the stuff along the outer tie ends and use the brush. Add more to get the lower rim of the ballast looking natural…not as straight as the rails, but conforming to your scenery at the base of the roadbed.

Once you have a nice profile in 3-4’, and the ties are clear, or very nearly so at their ends and on their tops between the rails, then dribble a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water in a slow series of drops between the ties, and then soak the outer ballast the same way. Don’t be cheap on this, make sure the outer ballast is quite wet. Then, dribble a light mixture of white or yellow glue, matte medium if you insist, and do this slowly so that you are not washing the ballast down onto the scenery surface. Go slow, be deliberate, be patient, and you will be surprised at how quickly you can get this done…probably 10’ within 30 minutes or less with practise.

Don’t forget to wipe the tops of the rails right away where you know you dribble glue. Wrap a damp clean rag around one finger, and just gently place the very tip of the finger on the rail top and wipe, keeping your sleeves, watch, other fingers, and whatever else off the ballast.

Walk away and let it dry for at least 6 hours, usually 10, and that is if you train room has

4

I agree with Crandell. Joe’s ballasting clinic is the best that I’ve seen so far and it his methods work very well. It’s also in last year’ issue of How To Build a Realistic Layout near the beginning.

Tom

5

At our club we use the small plastic container thats used to fill a iron with water.It’s has a small opening at the top which is just wide enough to distibute the ballast down the centre of the track at a nice rate.We then use an old blackboard rubber that we use to force the ballast between the ties.It works very well

6

I was surprized to find that the local dollar store sells an N Scale Ballast dispenser, two for $2.99. Comes in Red and Yellow to keep two colours on hand. Apparently they can also be used to dispense mustard and ketchup too.

I’ve used these and they are very handy.

Thats my Ballasting Tip.

7

Well, that’s no bargain. I can get those same yellow and red ballast administrators for 2 (one of each) for $1.00 !!! Furthermore, I found that the round bamboo skewers they sell in a gajillion in a package for a whole $1.00 make good scale sized logs of differnet types for N scale and also for HO scale!!!If the Dollar store near you doesn’t have them now, wait umm 3 months and they should!