Anyone got any thoughts on how much ballast would be needed for a layout that is L-shaped and 4’wide by 10" long in both directions? I am trying to determine how much ballast in units of weight would be needed on average per unit of length in Lionel O gauge track.
Thanks
If you’re in the market for ballast - get it from Dennis Brennan. He can also help you figure how much you need and a really helpful fellow.
Good question. Candidly, it really depends on how it ends up looking to you. I’m not sure what you are going to use - and I’m presuming you’re doing this for looks - rather than really floating the track in it. I heavily ballasted the track right by the edge of the layout - and then only the side of the track that was visible on most of the rest. As I was, I think I went through the equivalent of about 3 gallons of it for a layout that’s roughly two loops of 29 by 10 ft.
Tough question to answer but Frank53’s idea is a good one. Personally I use chicket grit at $5.00 for a 50# bag and it works well. You can look at our album and see how it looks.
Jon
I need toget several pickup trucks filled with crusher fines (quarter minus). They’re obtainable from quarries & used in construction work and are the most economical way to do lots of ballast. Alternately, Jon’s idea is good as well.
The crusher fines can be used for indoor layouts. I’m using so much for outdoors b/c I need to lay rocks & ballast down to bedrock b/c otherwise it sinks in clay.
Jon, what exactly is chicken "grit? Is it feed?
Well, they do eat it. Grit is small stones that the bird stores in its gizzard, where they act like teeth and are used to grind up grain.
I use the small stones that magically appear in huge piles at the end of our Northern state driveways at the end of winter. Washed and sifted - perfect size and ‘free.’
Doug nailed it. It does come in different sizes and you can find it at farm seed stores and the local elevator. I’m using extra fine.
Jon
I have a fairly big layout. The chicken grit option is a new one on me. Do you use diluted glue for adhesion? Can you color it?
I am sometimes tempted to ballest my track. Once upon a time I ballested track on a 5 X 9 layout. I placed track on a layer of cupboard cloth used to deadend the sound. I used Woodland scenics ballest and dilluted glue. When I decided to change to a larger layout, the ballast was pretty much permanently bounded to the table. I rescued the track, but the table was a mess.
My present layout has cork roadbed on top of homasote or other home sound deadening board (at half the cost). It looks OK but not like ballested track. (I have atlas track) I am hesitant to ballast because of the mess and chance I would run into the same problem if I wanted to change some track design. Any thoughts on gluing the ballast? Thanks.
I am going to fully ballast my track. As shown in teh photo, I am using two foot lengths of ceiling tile over plywood with cork on top. I can dicard the ceiling tile in manageabley sized pieces if I decide to change the layout.
You will want to glue the ballast as it will go everywhere, plus once it’s glued you can remove any screws holding the track down which will help reduce noise. Use the wet water process first (water & a few drops of liquid dish soap) and then a diluted combination of glue and water on the ballast and you are set, as is the ballast! Certainly gives it a finished look.
Jon
there are several types of grit, carried by feed stores
Chicken grit
Starter grit for chicks
Turkey grit
Don’t use kitty litter; it’ll make a mess
To those of you who have changed layouts with ballasted track, was it difficult to remove the track from the layout? Could you do that without damaging the track? Any tips? Thanks.
A shaker bottle of of Woodland Scenics ballast generously does about 5-6 feet of Atlas track. Without adding extra ties and cork fillers in between Lionel O I doubt a bottle would do more than a couple of feet. Some of the more economical material listed here might be the way to go.
The white glue solution commonly used to bond ballast should release it’s grip if soaked with lots of water before track removal.
Bruce Webster
My experience with HO flex track ended up with wasting the track. The glue and ballast was so adhered to the track that it often pulled the ties off when trying to lift it off the table. Maybe O gauge is better in this regard? It might also depend on the style of track used: tubular versus Gargaves???
Jim
About your other question. If you DO this kind of ballasting it looks brilliant but forget ever using that track anywhere else again! You’d best not go the ballast route until you’re absolutely certain the layout will be fixed that way for a while, like at least a year. Chiselling off that mess is a horrendous job and if you were at all sloppy in applying the stuff you’ll have sections of mysteriously dead track, jamming switches and coarse scale wheels being derailed and lots more fun too! It does really look good but it needs to be done with great thought and are.
A friend of mine uses concrete adhesive in 1:3 (3 being water) parts, & some soap/alcohol to let it seep down.
He says it’s firm and can shake loose easily when changing track pattern.
I’ve purchased a container of the stuff (Quickrete type but Sakrete also sells it) and plan to use it in the near future.
This would avoid Thor’s experience, tho there are chemicals that could remove the glue such as acetone.
I use 1 part white glue to 2 parts water. Removal is no problem! Thoroughly wet the ballast and it will loosen up. Your track will not be ruined. Ask Jamie (CSXFAN)
You know, I don’t glue down the ballast, and it doesn’t spread around - maybe because I run pretty light consists. If I want to rearrange the ballast profile, or move a switch, it’s pretty easy to move the ballast too - gives me an excuse to run a work train too.