Howdy,
I have some questions about track ballast. I am modeling an HO-scale Pennsylvania Railroad-based layout. While I love the Pennsy, I did not grow up near it so most of my information about it has been gathered second-hand from conversations, photos, articles, etc about the Pennsy. So now that I'm working on constructing a layout, I need some more precise answers if anybody has any...
1. What size is "HO" (or "N") scale track ballast? I've been looking all over the net for an actual real size designation, in inches (or even scale dimensions-- I can convert!) but to no avail. Does anybody know what actual size rock (whatever it is) I'm supposed to be looking for? I understand it varies in size a bit so there will be a range. Is it (on average) 0.1 inch around? 0.01 inch? bigger? smaller? What IS the actual size of "HO" scale (and "N" scale) ballast???
2. Where can "HO" or "N" scale (of whatever size that turns out to be) "ballast" be obtained in large bulk quantities for el-cheapo dollars? (I have a class I railroad but a poor backwoods branch-line budget :)
3. I understand that each railroad has a different "character" of ballast. And even possibly local variations for larger railroads, based on where/how they obtained their ballast. What is the actual color (I understand this is a somewhat subjective question) of PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD ballast? If more specificity is needed, what is the color of PRR ballast in the Harriburg - Pittsburgh (Altoona) region? Answers like "reddish" are interesting, but I want to know-- how red? (or whatever)
3A. How would ballast on a heavy coal-hauler look over time? I'm sure coal would fall out / blown out and would dust everything over time. How would that affect the color?
3B. On the coal-hauling route (from above) on a class I railroad, about how often would the ballast be replaced and how would that affect the size or coloration?
The PRR in general used crushed granite, each stone measuring about 4". This translates into HO as .045". The color of new ballast is light grey/ almost white, older ballast will darken to the color of local soil, or reddish if hauling iron ore, blackish if hauling coal. The color you want is based on how old the ballast you wish to model will be, from grey-white to dark smoke or any shade between.
Now, take into consideration tamping operations. New stone is possibly added to fill sink holes, old ballast is tamped. This will leave the ballast coloration very random. For a coal hauling road, the ballast and ties are much darker in yards where most spillage will happen, including piles of coal between the rails, not so much on the mainlines (spilling your load is not standard practice). While coal cars are filthy, the track is not so much so. Same is true for iron ore hauling, with red/brown being the color of choice.
Are you modeling the line before or after a rainy day? If it rains for a week and water traps have formed, a pumping effect will occur due to the train load and this causes the subsoil material to seep up into the ballast bed. Mud spots and wet patches occur on the ballast crown. Further water traps and troughs cause other deformations of the earth formation, the water cannot flow off and there is intensive seepage of subsoil material into the ballast, also changing the color of the ballast that is localized to the area in question.
Are you modeling before or after the track was profiled? Profiled road bed will not have weeds and be nice and even. Perhaps the line you are modeling has been undercut, ties replaced, rails welded and sealed with a kiss. In that case you would have clean and shiny rails, nice new dark black ties, and uniform clean ballast. Or on the other hand, maybe you wish to model a section of track that is 10 years away from formation improvement and is a hodge-podge of random patches and repairs.
What you need to give us is more information about what specific section of track (preferably milepost to milepost) you wish to model, the exact date you want to represent, and the current weather conditions in order to get an exact ballast match.
3B. ....about how often would the ballast be replaced and how would that affect the size or coloration?
"Assuming that ballast bed cleaning should not be left until the track is so fouled that tamping achieves no improvement in track geometry, then, on a basis of a suggestion by ERRI (European Rail Research Institute, question D 182), the correct time for ballast cleaning is when about 30% fouling in weight is reached (average value of the samples, measured as material sifted through a 22.4 mm square mesh).
On lines with a relatively low volume of traffic, where periodic track maintenance is carried out using the mechanised maintenance train (MDZ) this degree of fouling will be reached after a ballast bed service life of about 30 years and on heavily trafficked lines after 400 million load tons.
Necessary pre-conditions are, however, the good bearing capacity of the subsoil and the use of top quality ballast materials (e.g. basalt or diabase). If these pre-conditions are not fulfilled, interim ballast bed cleaning has to be performed in order to prevent speed restrictions. In the case of poor quality subsoil, long-lasting results can only be achieved by a thorough rehabilitation of the subsoil."
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
I'd like to answer question number 3: On the insides of the rail, the ballast is a light brown with a hint of the color of rust. on the shoulders, the ballast is a light grey, to get the affect of the light brown inside the rails, I would airbrush it, if you have access to one, if not, I got nothin'. As for ballast, don't use woodland scenics, use highball ballast products. That's all I got, hope to see the layout soon!!!
I live outside Philadelphia and have a o.k. ranfanning spot on the CSX/SEPTA line. The ballast is light gray. It is pretty well matched to comercial light gray ballast. Also remember that the PRR was the #2 Ore hauler, so that might affect coloration.
Ballast
From my research of the PRR I use Woodland Scenics, Gray Blend, B1393, Fine Ballast for the mainline roadbed. Since I also have steam on my layout I use Woodland Scenics, Cinders, B1376, Fine Ballast adjacent to the track-bed.
The locomotive yard is all cinders and a classification yard is actual Bluestone chips. Here is a picture from my Horseshoe Curve.
Hope this helps,
Doc