# Ballasting yard entrance



## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I'm at the point where I'm going from my main lines into the yard area but I'm not sure on the ballasting of these areas and also going to the spur lines. Off the main into the yard I'm using the medium size ballast (HO layout) then at the first switch dropping off the road bed I'm switching to the fine ballast and on into and through the yard to the exit switch. On the spur/branch lines I am doing the same thing just after the switch where its drops off the road bed. I'm not sure if this is really correct or not that is why I'm asking.

Thanks 
David


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

David

There's quite a bit of difference in the way Main line tracks are ballasted,
and that used in yards and on spurs.

To get the best idea of this, take a look at a yard in your area. While the
Main is usually ballasted very neatly, with no ballast upon the ties, in the
yards you sometimes can't even see the ties. There is a variety of ballast,
some rocks, some ashes from the Steam era, and a lot of ties, rails and various
other metal parts and the like scattered about. Sometimes, you see weeds growing
between the rails, especially on spur tracks serving a light industry.

My mains are on W/S foam track bed. My yards and spurs are lower and
I use a flat underlay.

Don


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

Usually, yards are built on land that couldn't be used for structures. Sometimes its marshy land where a lot of fill dirt had to be brought in. The ballast can be a mix of fill dirt and rocks but not the upper quality of mainline ballast. The mainline requires better and deeper ballast to support the pounding of high speed traffic while the yards are much slower with less stress for the momentum of rolling stock.
How you ballast your yard is up to your standards and budget of construction. If your railroad is living high on the hog, do a manacured ballasting in your yards and spurs. If you are cash strapped and leasing out your motive power to help make ends meet, then your ballast will show that as well.


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