Which color would you choose for SP on west coast?
Where on the West Coast? If you can, go to the site you wish to model and take pictures.
I live on the East Coast so I can't help much.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
In the Arizona Rock and Mineral topic, there's a photo of SP ballast at Berkeley CA. That is assuming that UP didn't up and change everything, like ballast, when they took over back in the day. It is likely too much of a close-up to get a good sense of the color/shade, though.
The official ballast of Free-mo is the ARM one I mentioned in the topic. It should be mentioned that it was chosen by people on the west coast. Hint hint.
Here is a topic where the matter was also discussed:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/39074.aspx
and another:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2498652
There are LOTS of videos on Youtube that show ballast colors. Try looking at some shot in your area of interest.
Ed
UP, formerly SP mainline at Crockett, Ca. (S.F. bay area) Photo taken from Carquinez bridge 2011.
Again, caution, A.R.M. ballast can darken after glue down process.
Regards, Peter
The ballast I apply is lighter than the prototype color because I darken the entire roadbed area with a spray mix of alcohol and india ink. That gives a bit of variation to the shade. Let is dry before deciding if you have gone far enough. it is easier to darken what is too light than to lighten what is too dark.
It is a grayish granite look, with white, black and grey particals that looks light grey from the distance.
I use a lighter gray then wash it with black until it looks the right color. This also emphasises shadows and gives the ballast more depth.
.
Sorry I don't have any pictures.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
rrebell It is a grayish granite look, with white, black and grey particals that looks light grey from the distance.
This is a great color combo for rocks too.
For gravel roads you need to go with a fine sand, almost a silt size because (like the above example) you wouldn't want to drive on a road with such coarse gravel!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Here is a sample of our first ballast laying.
If you go with an AR&M product, and I am a confirmed AR&M customer, make sure you check on the product number. With some of their products, there may be a difference in the size of the ballast for the same scale. I have also heard that some folks like to use N scale ballast on an HO layout.
On the AR&M web site, there is a Wabash Gray for SP and CSX, which looks like the color of the ballast in the Crocket CA picture, albeit perhaps slightly darker. If you buy in bulk, then you may be able to swing a discount. It is a small family business and the owner can be very accommodating. When I made a mistake and reordered the wrong ballast, I drove up there, an interesting morning trip from Phoenix. He took back my mistake, figured out the right ballast and rather than hassle with a credit card I asked him to give me 12$ worth of the right stuff and call it even. He said fine, bagged the ballast right there, and I was on my way home within 30 minutes.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
MisterBeasley,
California/Oregon, freelance.
John