Question about ballast in this picture...

[Anonymous]

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/pner601a.jpg Hey everyone, about this picture i need to know what kind of ballast that stone is casue i have made up my mind and i am gonna use woodland scenics ballast now over here in eastern pa. they use cinders for the under layer and i'm guessing by comparing it with the ws ballast pics it's a grey blend, but i might be wrong on that so i need opinins on what else it might be any and all will be appreciated[:D]

[Anonymous]

It looks like the ballast that Canadian National used around here (Vernon-Kelowna) It's like a coarse granite but over time it 'weathers' and darkens. I use a grey ballast .Woodland scenics makes both light grey and grey ballast. The light grey looks like it's just been laid down so I perfer the grey. In HO I first set down fine ballast and then sprinkle a little medium around so it looks a little older and iot give some variety. If you want a slight cinders look why not try a light misting of flat black over the grey ballast?
Hope this helps

[Anonymous]

hmmmm let me start by saying thank you, i think to the best of my recolection that it's grey with brown mixed into it soooo I guess i have to go do some measuring to see just how much i'll actually need, by the way how much area would both fine and medium ballast in a 32 oz. shaker cover[%-)][censored]scenery

[Anonymous]

When I ballast I don't use the shaker. I use one of those 1 serving yogurt containers and sift it into the center of the rails, then I use a paintbru***o spread it out evenly. Then I sprinkle the coarser stuff down on top (you only need a little. After it looks good to you set it down with either some dilluted white glue (1 part glue, 2 parts water and a couple drops of dish washing liquid.) or woodland scenics senery cement. I don't know how much the 32oz. shaker would cover, it depends on how much you want to bury the ties.
Oh yeah, I tend to avoid balasting around my switch points, as you can easily glue the switch in place with the ballast-glue mixture.

[willy6]

using ballast. i found the best way to put down ballast is get a piece of PVC the width of the ballast area. ensure the pipe is about 2" tall. pour the ballast into the pipe and move it down the tracks adding ballast as needed. i bru***he ballast to the ouside of the track.[:D]it provides a smooth even contour. then i spray it with alcohol/water and let sit overnite. then i spray a 50/50 mix of white glue and water.......................works great.

[Anonymous]

You might want to cheat and use a bit lighter colour ballast than in reality (prototype) because layout lighting is generally not as good as sunlight, so lighter colours make the layout look better.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Before you buy any WS ballast, check out some of the other manufactures. WS ballast is crushed walnut shells, it is not real rock. Smith & Sons and Arizona Rock are two excellent makers of real stone ballast. Once you see it, you'll be amazed how much better it looks and it goes down much easier (won't float like WS).
Scenery Express now carries Smith & Son.

[ndbprr]

It looks to me like dark gray granite that has had some newer light gray added right in front of the engine. Having tried something similar when you do it on a model railroad it comes out looking too speckled and I hated it.

[Anonymous]

wow... All really great tips, and to think i never knew ws ballast was just crushed walnut shells[banghead], i guess you do learn something new everyday. anywho do you have the websites for that all stone ballast thing-a-majig?[(-D]

[Anonymous]

ANA:

Micro-Mark sells a ballast spreader, part #82395 www.micromark.com , or make one yourself from any suitable container with a do-it-yourself slotted bottom.

Randy

[Anonymous]

hmmmm... you know now that i think about it this ballast predicament is really giving me a headache if i could just solve it it would probably work out great but the thing i have no clue about ballast, two questions though (1. Could someone give me a website that has really good ballast for sale? and (2. Where whould i go to find plaster gauze rolls... You know the stuff that doctors use to set juniors broken arm?

[jrbarney]

Anarchy,
The URL for Arizona Rock & Mineral, mentioned in an earlier response, is:
http://rrscenery.com
In addition to generic ballast, they offer ballast for specific road names. I suggest you check their dealer list to determine if they have a vendor near you so that you can "eyeball" their products yourself.
Micro-Mark sells plaster cloth. Their price for a roll 8" wide by 9 yards long is $ 7.98 USD. Haven't bought it from them, but have been well satisfied in my other dealings with them. Their URL is:
http://www.micromark.com
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

I LIVE IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND THEY USE ROCK FROM GRAVEL PITS. THE SIZE OF ROCK IS ABOUT 2", AND I HAVE FOUND THAT A $2.00 BOX OF PARAKEET GRAVEL
SEEMS TO BE AS CLOSE TO SCALE AS YOU CAN GET, AND ALOT CHEAPER. SO TRY WHAT YOU THINK WOULD WORK BEST.

[Anonymous]

barney i have that website bookmarked and never looked at it only the scenery, i looked at ballast and to my amazement they actually do have ballast for a pennsy railroad. Would you happen to know of a retailers site that sells it?

[jrbarney]

Anarchy,
I respect your desire for privacy and understand that that may be the reason your profile doesn't list where you live, but that makes it difficult to answer your request. However, click on the "Stocking Dealers" button at their site, and you may find that there is a retailer reasonably near where you live.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[lupo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by clinchvalley

Before you buy any WS ballast, check out some of the other manufactures. WS ballast is crushed walnut shells, it is not real rock.

THANKS! yet more stuff NOT going in the waste bin at my house!
Do you have tips on how to crush walnutshels to scale ballast size?

[Anonymous]

I also model in PA I use medium gray blend

[Anonymous]

If you have a coffee grinder, you may be able to crush walnuts. Use caution, as I have never tried this.

[Anonymous]

[(-D][(-D][(-D]Oooooooooh boy, using a coffee grinder on walnut shells[(-D][(-D][(-D] Man now i heard everything[(-D] jr i live in pa and the layout that i am planning is going to be a fall pennsy rr cause i live by the susquhanna river branch where the powder hole used to be cause in the back country it's very very beautiful with the orange, red, yellow, and gold leaves... But the ballast is so friggen hard to model cause it's layer of cinders followed by gravel... And it's so hard because of the cinders which they are very finely crushed and just arghhhhhhhhh[}:)] (sorry for ranting and raving and also sounding like a crazed lunatic i apologize) but i guess on the bright side of things it'll look great when it's finished(i hope) anyways cmx do you use medium fine or coarse?