# Need advice from the wise men......



## mackdonn (Sep 26, 2012)

I'm at the point of doing my scenery and I need to do 1)Ballast 2)water (harbor) and 3)ground cover. What order do the wise ones recommend I do them in?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Water, Ballast, Ground cover


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

Ground cover, ballast then water.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

We've all had (suffered?) different experiences with these
projects.

I do the scene scaping on the layout in sections.

I've found that if I put down grass etc. first the 'wet' water
and glue of ballasting tends to disolve the grass glue.

So I now ballast first then put in the grass, weeds and the like.

Don't have any streams or lakes so go with guys who've done that.

Don


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## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

Im pretty much where you are at. Im also doing in sections like Don and agree with him. The section I put ground cover first took alot of cleaning and redoing after I ballasted, so now Im doing ballast first then ground cover. I only have one section that has water and havent gotten to it yet.


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

I would do it in the order you listed.
The ballasting may require you to climb on the layout and the last thing you want to do is climb over other scenery you just completed.
Ground cover comes last because you use it to cover mistakes you made with ballasting or the water. Plus ground cover goes up to the edge of both and can even extend in a little as stated in other posts.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I like the ballast first, as you'll frequently be "dressing it up" with some weeds and the like. I'd probably do water next, but I've only done a small stream on a module at the club with water so far. Last would be the ground cover and other landscaping.

If you're doing mountains and tunnels, those come real early in the project. 

BTW, did you ever find any wise men?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

You can cover up bad ballast with ground cover. it grows like weeds. Same thing with the edge of a stream.


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## mackdonn (Sep 26, 2012)

Thanks for the input especially the ones that gave me the "why" they do it in a certain order. As far as the "wise men", we are all wise in one way or another because of the different modeling challenges we have had. I also feel it it better to walk in the path of those that have gone before you instead of creating your own. That way you avoid the landmines and pits....


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## Dwight Ennis (Oct 8, 2013)

I've yet to do water, but in all the articles I've read in MR, MRC, and various and sundry scenery books, the waterbed and water banks are sceniced and painted first, and the "water" resin poured last. If not, it's impossible to have the water banks "submerge" into the water, not to mention adding things like protruding boulders, rocks, swimmers, etc.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Good point about submerging stuff. My little stream didn't need any help along the banks, but a bigger body of water would.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

My 2 cents.
I never did all of one thing at once.

I do sections. 
You can always blend in the sections together as you go along.

But I guess I would pick ballast first after you make sure all the track is set properly and works right. Then water, last ground cover. If I had to pick.


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## hirailer (Oct 24, 2013)

I ballast first then add foilage. If you look at the prototype, the weeds seem to appear after the ballast is laid.


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*scenery technique, some order in order to complete it.*

I seem to be always redoing it. so I would say ballast first. Water always seems to change, or is
improved upon. 
Regards,
tr1


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I do all the ballasting on the entire layout first. Then grass in the main areas away from where roads and buildings are going to be, place the roadways, place buildings then grass to the road and building edges and continue on from there with what ever else need to be done.


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## HVF City (Jul 14, 2012)

I've done a good share of all. Ballast first, then do a lot of running to make sure everything is smooth. Then scenery, landscapes to blend up to it. I take a lot of up close pictures to help show up flaws that don't jump out to my eyes, as my head has the finished look in mind, pictures show reality. I do water when most of the rest is done, it takes so long to cure and I don't want to disrupt it with debris. Then I put in trees and over growth grass and more bushes to hide bad spots.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I will add this one point for the newer modelers.

Once you glue down the ballast let it sit overnight or 24 hours or so. 
Don't try to fix it when it is wet you will have a mess.

If you ever need to take up a section, just soak it with water for a little while and it should come up nice.


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## mackdonn (Sep 26, 2012)

Yall are the greatest!!!! I ran into a problem though (my own fault) I decided on tortoise switch motors so before I do ANYTHING I have to install and wire these babies up......which is a pain after track has been secured!!! Well not really I could just cut the switches out, drill the holes and solder the track back in but I'm being lazy and time is not as available as it used to be......but THIS is really my only hold up to doing ballast and scenery......


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

I had a similar problem and me not being a stickler for prototypical operation I just drilled to the side of the turnout and used a small horizontal wire to the turnout throw bar. A little bush or something can hide the wires. It's also much easier to align the switch motor, much more flexibility in positioning the motor. 

This is on a small ladder yard and the controls are on the other side of a duck under. It's kind of handy as you can move the points by hand when you need to move some cars around. The less I have to crawl under the "duck under" the better. I'm too old for that stuff.

Magic


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## mackdonn (Sep 26, 2012)

Magic said:


> The less I have to crawl under the "duck under" the better. I'm too old for that stuff.
> 
> Magic


I'm completely understand.....I have a back injury from the military that gets bothered by too much bending over.......


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