What is the best ballast to use?

[Train 284]

Between crusher fines, or chicken grit, and where can I get either?

[tangerine-jack]

That's a loaded question! As in everything, there is no "best" solution or product that fits all known aplications. In other words, I can't answer that for you, you'll have to experiment with both products (they also come in different sizes) and see if you like one more than the other, or don't like either one. You might even find that a combination of both works better.

What I can answer, to the best of my ability from 3,000 miles away, is where to get it. Go to a feed and seed store, around here that means Southern States, for the chicken grit (which is crushed clam shell). the crusher fines can be got at either a rock quarry if you have one localy, or through a lawn and garden center.

Good luck!

[piercedan]

Feed and grain prices can be high as you are buying 40 or 80 pound bags.

I went to a gravel yard and I filled 2 30 gallon trash cans and when I went to pay they said 'have a nice day" $0.00 is hard to beat.

I went backk 6 months later with a pickup truck and a 1/2 ton load cost me $5.00.

Cost me more is gas than the goods I got.

[kstrong]

Crusher fines will by far be your cheaper option, and as TJ alluded to, chicken grit may or may not be stone, depending on where you live. Along the shores, chicken grit is as likely to be crushed oyster shells as it is granite. Further inland, stone is more likely, but still, ask to see a sample.

The disadvantage of the chicken grit I've seen used is that it's white granite, which looks very stark in a garden railroad environment. Years ago when we used the stuff, we used to dye it using black paint before we spread it. It worked well enough, but was labor intensive, and $4.00 for a 50# bag didn't go very far. When you've got over 700' of track to ballast each spring, that cost adds up very quickly.

The most I've seen crusher fines (squeege, rock dust, quarter-minus, road sand or other localized names for the same stuff) go for is $15.00/ton. With a 1/2 ton pick-up, you'll spend more going through the drive-thru for lunch on the way back from the rock yard.

Later,

K

[whiterab]

I use chicken grit because I can get it.

I would prefer crusher fines if I could find the right stuff. Both work but crusher fines have more dust and weathers into a more solid roadbed. Once "my significant other" blabbed to the guys at the feed store what I wanted the grit for, the guys there thought it was so funny they go out of their way to make sure they get it for me.

One word of warning. Chicken grit comes in two types, granite and oyster shell. The type you want is the granite such as sold by GraniGrit.

[Curmudgeon]

The Chicken Grit around here is round.
Never really locks together.
As bad a pea gravel.

I use "0" grit chipped black marble, $10 for a hundred pound sack.

Locks nicely, not overpowering in size.

TOC

[Anonymous]

i use gray fines it realllllllly helps because after it rains it makes a loose cement around the ties and holds it in strong

[Anonymous]

Local quary is where I found my stone dust and works very well. Good drainage and locks together very well.


mikadousrp.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Ok guys, here's a new one that works pretty well. I know of at least 2 guys who are using it, and it will be my next stuff for reballasting!

Go to the local yard that makes concrete block and get the stuff they use for aggregate in making the block! locks up like quarter fines, but looks a lot more like real scale ballast!

[tangerine-jack]

I've seen the stuff Capt Bob is talking about, it sure looks to be a great alternative and one I am very well considering for the Dixie D SL. Worth an experiment..............

[Karl Reichenbach]

Capt. Bob,

Concrete block aggregate not only makes great ballast but also works great for building bases and a base for trestles..

I have been using it for the last 2 years. Like other ballast materials used there are still washouts to repair once and a while.

I think at this point I have used about 4 tons of it on my garden railroad.

Try it I think you will like it.

Karl

[Dick Friedman]

You are entering the "twilight zone" of outdoor railroading. You're going to have to settle for what you can get locally because it's too heavy to ship cheaply. In addition, no two places call the stuff by the same name, nor have they heard of most of the names we use.

It'll most often be the wrong color, and a nearly always the wrong size! I've looked for "crusher fines" and gotten blank stares. I've used chicken grit, but here (90 miles from the sea) it's got oyster shells in it. Still, this is red and looks like Arizona lava stone. I've seen "roofing grit," but can't find it here. I had some 1/4" seafom green which looked exactly like granite (it a varigated green), but can't get it in anything smaller than 3/4" now. So now I'm using some crushed green rock. It's too uniformly green, but I get it from the quarry for about $5 for about six or seven 40 pound kittly litter boxes.

I've kept samples of everything I've ever used, and generally take them with me when I'm looking for ballast to show the people what I'm lookiing for!

[markperr]

The only thing that I can add to that would be that you take a strong magnet with you and plunge it into whatever stone you're looking to use. You DON'T want to purchase stone that has a moderate to high degree of iron in it as it will be attracted to your motors as they pass over and you will be constantly cleaning that crap off the bottom of your locomotives.

Mark