Ballasting Track

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hello all. I know how to ballast track per-se, your conventional rail and cork roadbed. But I wanted to get the experts opinion on how to properly ballast “the sides” of Life-Likes Power-Loc track. This type of track is much higher than conventional track / cork roadbed due to the plastic roadbed. Of course gravity will cause the ballast to slide down the side of the plastic roadbed onto the plywood. Seems I will have to use twice as much ballast to get it to look right with a slight decline for drainage. What’s the easiest way to ballast this type of track?

I guess something to “catch” the ballast and keep it on the sides of the roadbed w/o having to pile on the ballast.

Hope I explained this well enough.

Thank you in advance,
Greg Hopkins

2

Thanks guys - I was thinking the same but didn’t know if anyone else had a better idea or easier way.

Again, thanks for your prompt response.

Greg Hopkins

3

How about tacky glue from an arty-craftsy store?

4

Great minds must be working together. Tacky Glue was the first thing I thought of when I read Greg’s posting. How about mixing the ballast with the tacky glue and pressing it on to the sides of the plastic roadbed. Then ballast the center in the normal??? way… Might be messy to do but it should stick…Vic