I appreciate the observation that some modeled items are perceived as more realistic when they’re out of proper scale. Dave Frary has said that he uses N scale ballast in HO layouts, but I’m not able to guess how widespread that practice is, and before I invest in a lot of ballast that will be closer to scale but will also look less realistic, I thought I’d solicit opinions and experiences from you fellow modelers. How about it?
Most N scale ballast is too big for this scale, so it might work out to be the right size for HO scale. Why not ballast a length of track to find out, whether you like it?
Whether the N scale ballast works for HO depends on the brand. I’m using Scenic Express #40 grade in HO, and it has a nice texture. I considered using their #50, which is intended for N, and to my eye it looks too fine for ballast bigger than dirt or cinders in HO.
This view shows some of the Scenic Express #40 “HO” ballast in the foreground, with a company spur track ballasted with finer sand behind it.
Other brands differ. I have my own biases against the widely available Woodland Scenics brand, but on occasions where I’ve use their product I tried WS N scale for HO and the size seemed about right. I thought their HO (“medium”) ballast was somewhat too coarse to look right in HO.
I’m sure N scale would work for N scale, but I was sing WS fine grey ballast and it seemed fine to me pretty in scale. I’d have a better picture but my Ipod has a terrible camera so this is the best I can do. This photo’s probably a couple months or so old.
Considering that Brother Frary models light-duty and narrow gauge lines, the finer ballast would be right for him. OTOH, when I was railfanning them the heavy mainlines (PRR, N&W…) appeared to have been ballasted with boulders. Contemporaneously, there was a description of a Grande track walker who fought off a grizzly bear with baseball-size ballast stones…
Moral? Not all rail lines look the same. Not even different places on the same rail line. A line which uses comparatively large rock in the hinterland will shift to (or add portions of) finer gravel where people have to walk.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Thanks to you all for very helpful responses. I’m about ready to rock (as it were) and roll!
Kato has the same ballast for HO & N. It is my favorite ballast as I use Kato track (both scales) but it is expensive. [^o)]
I had a close friend of mine,that worked for the Burlington Northern on the Wyoming coal drags and he said that the ballast on the mains was as big as baseballs and some bigger… My choice is either N, or HO,fine to medium,WS…
Cheers,
Frank
Ulrich’s advice is good, experimentation to find out what looks best to your eye. I did a lot of test ballasting on flex track pieces to narrow my choice down. Scenic Express has sample packs and were even kind enough to send a couple free samples of what isn’t in their sample pack. I ended up favoring a courser look, even if not to scale and doesn’t photograph as well. I went with a 50/50 mix of Arizona Rock and Mineral Co.s Mainline HO and HO ballast as I liked the blend and texture of their real rock product. Not related to size or texture is that the ballast made from real rock tends to darken after being glued down, even had a very light colored ballast actually turn greenish where it was glued to bare marine plywood, but not on the cork road bed, reaction to glues I guess?
regards, Peter
here’s an older picture but a far superior one to my previous picture, this is WS fine N scale ballast. I remember from Jim’s recent N scale insight article about how we have to be extra careful about it. I think the WS ballast does a good job of capturing that 4-5" big rock like the ones the BNSF currently employs.
That is some great looking ballast Peter. Reminds me of some old Green Bay & Western industrial line track down the road that is a layer of rock set right on earth. The track level is only a few inches above pavement and in spots you can see dirt mixed with the ballast.
Yep…mostly N scale ballast in HO
Guy
Our club (the Olde Newburgh Model RR Club) has recently started using N gauge Scenic Woodlands ballast on our HO layout because most members think that SW HO ballast is too large. We’re going to try some Scenery Express ballast and then compare the two manufacturer’s. But N gauge SW ballast looks okay to us on the HO layout.