Gravel roads

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I’m trying to make a gravel road through my yard, alongside a grain elevator. Exact same setup here in real life just a few blocks away.

Problem is, I cannot for anything figure out a way to make a good gravel road !?!? Usually just end up with a bunch of (to thickly laid) very fine brown ballast.

Any secrets to making these ?

2

I have several roads on my HO layout. I have had good luck using sand . on my asphalt roads I use sand and after the glue is good and dry I simply paint it a shade of gray to match what I am looking for. Hopes this helps Mike

3

I use ASI instant road bed. you just flatten it,press some fine gravel or sand into it, and lay it down.

4

Sounds interesting. Have a link for this item ?

5

One of our own forumers, hminky, has some great ideas on this. Check out his tutorials here;

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/scenery/clods/

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/scenery/stippling/

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/roads/

He’s got tons of other great projects too. Here’s his homepage;

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/

Now for ashphalt roads I discovered this little trick;

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/crowley/ashphalt_roads.htm

6

I misspelled it before, its actually AMI instant roadbed. its really good, it can be used for track underlay, roads or crossings,cobblestone bricks or asphalt… Ive never used cork or foam, but this stuff seems simpler and quicker to lay. plus, if you need to alter something, you just peel it off an put it somewhere else.its a little more expensive than cork, but its worth it: http://www.internettrains.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AMI-30&Category_Code

7

I’ve seen the Flexifoam but have never tried it. I like the wet-dry sandpaper - relatively cheap, a number of grit sizes for different scales and relatively easy to cut and glue down.

8

Thanks for the great tips guys !

9

Another option is to use real stone. I get mine from Great Northern Sand and Gravel. I haven’t made a gravel road yet but I’ve put it down for a gravel area. Very realistic.

http://www.ballast-train.com/product-overview.html

Very reasonable prices and high quality.

10

It’s actualy pretty simple: head over to the side of a gravel road with a coffee can, and look for the VERY finely crushed rock that settles there. “Blow sand” is just a finer version of what’s already on the road surface. Take the stuff home, sift out the large stuff and sticks, bake out the critters, and glue it to the layout. Once the glue is dry, lightly sand the surface with 200 grit sandpaper.

11

I meant to post this last night. Here’s a gravel area around my mining operation.

this was made with TWL1624 frrom Great Northern. It probably is slightly too large and if I were doing it again I’d used the next size down, TWL2440 but as far as gravel goes, it looks very realistic.

12

I also use Great Northern ballast/rock products and think they are great. Next time you order from them, get a bag of SBW4080. Great for gravel in HO.

13

I wonder if tile grout would work. The texture would be much more in keeping with our scale than some of the other recommendations…still too large, in fact, but it would be easily shaped for crowing if any, and once dried would take weathering and staining to show the variations in hue that all gravel roads have.

14

Kitty Litter does a nice job also, but not the variety that has the scented blue pepples in it. Use the sandy brown colored that looks just little gravel.

15

Yep, I used that on a previous layout and worked well. No photos and now that layout no longer exists.[xx(]