I’m about to start ballasting my track and am a little perplexed by the range of alternatives that Woodland Scenics has. What size and color should I use and how would this vary between mainline, branchline, yard and urban area? What do the rest of you do?
I would reccomend Woodland Scenics Grey Fine ballast. I looks prototypical for pretty much every railroad. Plus, the grain is perfect. Have fun! [:D]
-Brandon
I have tried fine, medium, and coarse ballast in a variety of colors. I would say that I like the Medium Gray Blend Ballast better than all the others.
I think that the fine is closer to prototype for HO scale. as for color that depends on the area your are modeling and the year. Old steam lines might have used cinders for yard ballast.
bill
It’s really up to you. For HO I use medium. To my eye fine doesn’t have enough texture. I also use fine for gravel roads, and like the difference between the roads and ballasted track.
As for colors, I use Lt. Gray for the mains. Although, if I were to do it over, I would use Gray. The Lt. Gray has a tendency to wash out when photographed. Brown for the branch and secondary lines. Cinders for any industrial spurs.
Nick
I use the mdium gray for ballasting the tracks. I use fine gray for gravel roads.
Fine medium gray and light gray and black. I also use the fine light gray for gravel roads. Sometimes I mix the two greys.
Fine is slightly oversized for most HO scale ballast, and is much too large for cinders. However, ou work with what you can get, so I use fine for everything. One of these days, I’ll find something extra fine to use for cinders, and will switch to that.
As for colors, go with whatever your prototype uses, or what looks the most realistic. I see too many layouts with that bright brown WS ballast, and it looks horrible. Most railroads use crushed limestone or granite, which is a variety of light gray.
I hands down prefer the Arizona Rock Company http://www.rrscenery.com/ ballast. You can get colors based on your prototype rail http://www.rrscenery.com/azrock3HO.html and there is a lot of texture to the fine material. IMO it is far better than woodland scenics ballast.
The WS fine med gray is blended with some gray Scenic Express. this has worked well for mainline and matches the area ballast that my club models. Yards and sidings are treated differently though. Heavy cinders for the yards. Some yards are done with play sand for a base a nd top dressed w cinders. Dark washes give a good result and varied look.Narrow gauge is done with soil and real dirt over a base of the play sand.
I’ve seen a WS dark & light grey mix that looked interesting… BUT…
if you really, sorry that should be, REALLY want to know click on my name and wade through the threads where I’ve gone on about ballast. This should keep you busy for a day or two. then check out Joe Fugate’s stuff on ballasting… he’s good.
Have fun 
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RE: Yard Ballast Question. What colour should I choose?
Model Railroader Forums » General Discussion (Model Railroader)
Posted by David Foster Posted: 21 Mar 2006, 23:22:07
Loco yards are different from almost all other yards… generically black… but study pictires for your location/road and era. A new yard or a yard with recent maintenance will look difernt from an old yard.
Locos shouldn’t leak whether steammor diesel. Lubricants don’t help bearings if they’ve spilled on the track and create slip hazards. Fuel is supposed to drive the train not decorate the track. One thing that would colour an area in steam days is ash… different coals produce different ashes. Despite all that whole yards or areas within them will accumulate mess over time. Modern facilities are extremely careful about mess because of the environment and to reduce hazards to staff.
You can’t get a shining loco out of a muck swamp.
Other yards… a lot of the same applies… the big difference would be where a yard handled large amounts of anything producing spillage… especially dust. Grain produces dust, so does sand, coal, fertiliser. colours can vary fro
dittio…
i also agree with ns railfan.
I think the cheapest way is to use kitty litter… just an idea… you can even get it scented.
WS fine grey blend for everything and fine grey or lt. grey to show where new ballast has been put down.
Finlay-LOVE your quote! I’m a member of Ted Nugents PETA (People who Eat Tasty Animals)
Take a look at your prototype.
The line by my house has grey rocks with a good mix of black and even some brown.
I use Fine grey for my HO scale layout and mix some fine black cinders in along with some fine brown. All woodland Scenic.
Now, how to model a dead and rotting racoon???
I use a variety, gray, black, and brown. Maybe even a little red once and awhile, whenever it is needed. Good luck!
WS medium gray ballast mix for all main lines, and heavy use sidings. I also use fine cinders along the right of way, along side the main ballast “hill”. it seems to make the ballast mount a little more pronounced.
are you modeling a prototype railroad or are you freelancing?