Hey guys, where can I find ballast that resembles that used by the PRR. I really don't know what it should look like. Also ok when I do ballasting is it prototypical for the PRR in the 60's to put cinders on the each of the roadbed then ballast on top? Thanks Mike
Like everybody else the PRR used gray ballast. Most of my railfanning was at corridor stations where the ballast had a red color. I think I have finally figured out why the variance. Years of brake shoe rust being deposited at the stations. I would leave the cinders for access roads next to the track. Subject to which quarry the stone came from the ballast is going to vary in color but definitely gray.
The PRR during the steam era used cinders on the ground next to the track and ballast to keep the weeds down. It varied in width from a few feet to 20+ feet encompassing the telephone poles. Check out some of the older PRR photos and you will see it.
Doc
Arizona Rock & Mineral sells a "PRR" ballast mix. Its a mix of medium and light grey ballast, not all one color.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
The PRR like any other rail road would buy aggregate from local suppliers. Its just not cost efective to haul ballast across a whole division to save a few pennies. Rock comes in a rainbow of color. One quary will have red stone and a few miles away find another quary with blue(dark gray). Cinders are a poor choice for ballast. It would retain water that would rot ties and rust any iron around it. Slag from the old steel mills was used quite often on branch and industrial trackwork. Slag looks like cinders but can come in large chuncks like rock. Just remember the larger the ballast the better the water drain. Most rock suppliers (my employer also) sells what we call quary run or quary stone size 6 inch minus. But most ballast is 3 to 4 inch minus.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
locoi1saThe PRR like any other rail road would buy aggregate from local suppliers. Its just not cost efective to haul ballast across a whole division to save a few pennies. Rock comes in a rainbow of color. One quary will have red stone and a few miles away find another quary with blue(dark gray).
Actually real railroads tended to buy ballast from a few select quarries, for example the MP only had 3 quarries. They got a better deal on the price and were able to control the size and quality of the rock better. For example some of the PRR's ballast came from Dyer Quarries in Trap Rock, PA and quarries around that area, because it makes excellent ballast, its very hard and stable rock.
Steam era ballast was smaller than modern ballast. Most mainline ballast was in the 2-3" size.
locoi1sa The PRR like any other rail road would buy aggregate from local suppliers. Its just not cost efective to haul ballast across a whole division to save a few pennies. Rock comes in a rainbow of color. One quary will have red stone and a few miles away find another quary with blue(dark gray). Cinders are a poor choice for ballast. It would retain water that would rot ties and rust any iron around it. Slag from the old steel mills was used quite often on branch and industrial trackwork. Slag looks like cinders but can come in large chuncks like rock. Just remember the larger the ballast the better the water drain. Most rock suppliers (my employer also) sells what we call quary run or quary stone size 6 inch minus. But most ballast is 3 to 4 inch minus. Pete
I wasn't saying to use cinders AS ballast just to put it on the edges of it. Topcopdoc, could you maybe post a photo showing the PRR's use of cinders, Thanks Mike
Hi nslover92,
Sorry I could not get back to you sooner. This photo of my Horseshoe Curve shows the cinders but as you can see not all the scenery is in place. I will be adding more grass patches, weeds, and bushes.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, so like about 20 scale feet on the edges? Mike (PS:looks good)