# Ballast preference?



## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

I'm modeling the modern era and I am not a stickler exact prototype. I need to pick a ballast for my layout. I'll probably stick to the same ballast for the whole project (mixing in some dirt/grass/debris as needed and called for obviously). I like the visual "pop" of the whitish gravel ballast but like the contrast of the black gravel ballast as well. I really don't want to get in the business of mixing up ballast. So based on that anyone used/seen a ballast product/mix out there that might meet my needs? If you can give me a name/brand I can track it down.

Also should I use coarse, medium or fine ballast?

Thanks!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Our guys are all over the place when it comes to choices of
ballast. And they are all probably right in their suggestions.

To get something started check the ballast on the main line
railroads near you. Look also at their spurs and yard tracks.

If you like what you see that would be the way to go.

I use a medium grade ballast on the mains. Since my default era is the
50's 60s in a more or less rural division my tracks and ballast are not that
super neat high rail of today. As you say, some dirt and weeds.
But my yard and spur tracks are flatter dirtier and mostly dark
fine ballast.

Check out what the other guys suggest and you'll have some
good ideas to consider.

Woodland Scenics ballast is not rock, it floats, making neat
ballasting more difficult. Many guys use ballast products from Arizona Rock
because it does not float.

Don


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Woodlands ballast is ground up walnut shells. Get some walnuts, crack them open, eat the meat inside and put the shells in your wifes blender when she is out of the house. Do the same with kitty litter or buy the commercial stuff that you can find online. It's all the same to me but some look better than others. Go for the gray or lighter colors for the mainlines like the real rr's and darker for the yards or spurs if you want to bother with different colors. I just use all the same color and it looks fine I think. You can always color the gray to make it darker in places that would be darker on a real rr. Pete


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## lajry (Aug 4, 2011)

One other thing to consider is the color between the rails. There can be a whole lot of oil & grease there from the locos & cars. You can do that w/ an air gun or make your own wash & paint it on w/ a brush. And there can be some trash there also.


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

Thank you everyone. I just purchased (online) 4 different colors of ballast (limestone, wabash, northern pacific and yard mix, all "fine") made by Arizona Stone and will do some trials. I am 90% sure the limestone is what I will use on my mainline, a mix of the wabash and northern for my sidings, and the yard for...well you guess  I figure I am not out any money as I can always find a spot on the layout to put down lose material.

Walman


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think Kitty Litter is a very BAD idea for ballast! It's designed to soak up moisture, do you really want your track embedded in a media that is specifically designed to absorb moisture?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I think Kitty Litter is a very BAD idea for ballast! It's designed to soak up moisture, do you really want your track embedded in a media that is specifically designed to absorb moisture?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

This is the same yard that is in the bottom of picture with the cat. 








I mix the ballast. There is a spur line in the cat photo that is dark as it runs to a coal mine.


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## lajry (Aug 4, 2011)

Southern
If you used kitty litter on your layout, does your kitty use your layout like it's kitty litter? LOL


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Notice that there is a tanks gun pointed at her head.

After I glue it down I vacuum it with a ballast only vacuum cleaner bag so that I can reuse the extra.


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## lajry (Aug 4, 2011)

Southern said:


> Notice that there is a tanks gun pointed at her head.
> 
> After I glue it down I vacuum it with a ballast only vacuum cleaner bag so that I can reuse the extra.


Oh yeah she looks real threatened too. :laugh: Maybe it's just that last pic but that ballast looks rather large. And you should clean the ballast from the webs on the inside of the rails as it could cause derailments.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

lajry said:


> ......... you should clean the ballast from the webs on the inside of the rails as it could cause derailments.


It just looks that way in the photo. It has never caused a derailment in all the years that It has been there. Some of the real yards a round here have gravel all the way to the top of the rails so that trucks can cross the rails.


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## lajry (Aug 4, 2011)

Southern said:


> It just looks that way in the photo. It has never caused a derailment in all the years that It has been there. Some of the real yards a round here have gravel all the way to the top of the rails so that trucks can cross the rails.


Given the fact the real freight cars weigh 100 tons +/-, they don't have any problems crushing rocks. But model cars only weigh 3-5oz any little rock can cause a derailment. Looks like your cars would do alot of "rocking & rolling" going down those tracks.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

lajry said:


> Looks like your cars would do alot of "rocking & rolling" going down those tracks.


It dose look that way, but they do not. The tracks are clear. After I finish gluing the ballast I scrap the inside of the rails clean. I hate derailments. When people come over and run trains, most tell me they are impressed with the lack of derailments.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

It is code 100 rail so it is tall also.


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## lajry (Aug 4, 2011)

Southern said:


> It is code 100 rail so it is tall also.


Code doesn't matter if the ballast still goes to the top of rail. How do the cars & locos look running on that track?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

lajry said:


> How do the cars & locos look running on that track?


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## lajry (Aug 4, 2011)

That's not the clickty-clack of steel wheels on steel rail. Sounds more like plastic wheels hitting ballast.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

what ever. We have hijacked this thread. If you want to contiue, we can at http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=3157


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I never thought about kitty litter absorbing moisture and of course that's exactly what it is designed to do. Could be a problem in a very humid area like here in Florida and could cause rails to get corroded or rusty if they are made of steel. Something to consider when using it. Pete


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## Mayhem (Mar 25, 2013)

I used a medium grey blend and medium black in spots.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

In addition to 'store bought' ballast I've read about the use of the sand used for pavers, it has a adhesive already mixed in, reptile sand [not the sand used in a aquarium], and colored grout. Have/had cats, wife's idea not mine, for well over 20 years. Never had a problem with kitty litter clumping from humidity.


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## botree (Sep 23, 2013)

*ballast*

you might try a feed and seed store. ask for turkey grit or chicken grit. it is made up (the turkey grit) of crushed granite and has black and white stone mixed in. it may be too large but if off-prototype is okay this would look great as ballast.
another source might be pet stores that sell aquarium gravel. or grit for other uses.


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## botree (Sep 23, 2013)

*polymeric sand*

I forgot about the polymeric sand sold at home improvement stores.
the only color I have been able to find is labeled "tan" and I have tried, without sucess, to find a gray color. 
get only the bags of the product as the buckets are all out of date or so I was told by a sales rep.
it has an adhesive blended in and you can spread it to your satisfaction then
spray it with water and this makes it set up.
I haven't tried it but came across the idea in, I think, a recent issue of MR.
it is inexpensive. $20.00 for a 60lb BAG, not bucket. the guy writing about it was very pleased with the results. I'll probably try a bag of the tan just to see how it works.


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## RUSTY Cuda (Aug 28, 2012)

Wow, 60lb bag, that's a lot of sand , I did my hole layout with that approx. 6"x6" cookie tin & didn't even use it all .


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## botree (Sep 23, 2013)

*just think.*

you will still have enough left to cover your
growing empire. use it on cracks in concrete
or fix that pot hole in the street the city won't
repair.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

botree said:


> you might try a feed and seed store. ask for turkey grit or chicken grit. it is made up (the turkey grit) of crushed granite and has black and white stone mixed in. it may be too large but if off-prototype is okay this would look great as ballast.
> another source might be pet stores that sell aquarium gravel. or grit for other uses.


I am going to ask next time I go to the local feed store. 
Amazing they eat rocks?:laugh:

How large is too large? 
Might be good for O track the way it is?

What about the price of the grit? Cheaper?


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

I think which ever ballast a modeler uses is preference or basically what you have to do the job...

Their is alot of different kinds of ballast on the market, some look much better then others.

Lots of people like to use a certain color ballast for the mainlines and use another color ballast for sidings...again this is just preference
This is the ballast i use. I tried to match the ballast i see on the mainlines where i live in upper peninsula of michigan. I have access to alot of this ballast and after all its free so you cant beat free.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That looks good for free, how about sending me 50 pounds?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

"FREE" Tell us more.


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

Sending 50 pounds through the mail would cost you quite a chunk

Their has been a few people on here that have liked my ballast...To the point of me thinking i should bag up some and as long as you guys pay me for shipping its yours... Well that was joe nice talking:laugh:

Maybe we can work out a deal where you send me your empty woodland scenics jug(s) and i can fill them up for you and ship them back to you:smilie_daumenpos:

Remember For 0 guage you may not need to sift it through a screen, but for ho scale i sifted it through a window screen and all the smaller stuff that went through the screen is what i used as ballast... 

I can offer sifted or non sifted ballast:appl:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I wonder what 50 pounds by UPS would cost?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Yes...it looks good...what is it? That one pic made it
look blue, but the others showed a nice blend of
colors. Looks like the heavy rocks you see on main
lines.

Maybe you could start a thriving ballast business.
Profits may come slowly with a price such as free though. 

Don


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

Mr john must want 50pounds because he's gonna make money off me:appl:

Do you want a yard of it? Or would that be 5 yards? 

Yes to answer your questions I have what you need:smilie_daumenpos:

Ballast-r-us


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Looks like perfect O-gauge ballast from what I can see.


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