I just saw another post on ballast! Aaaarggh! I swear----I am going to retire and spend time in the lab inventing ballast to end all ballast which will answer all questions about walnutshells/sand/gravel/magnet particles/cat litter/misting/alcohol/white glue/yellow glue/eyedroppers/spray bottles/syringes/floaters/dust/color change/spreaders/vacuums/nylon stockings/vibrators (say this is getting me hot)
It will be non-magnetic, self-adhesive, find its own level, never change color, allow easy removal, will not attract cats, create realistic sound levels and make me a million dollars......a million dollars you hear!
I will be rich, rich beyond my wildest dreams. I will be the toast of the modelling world, give lectures, sign cartons at the LHS for my fans. Rich I tell you!
Really, doesn't anyone out there have a brother-in-law who works at NASA or DOW or Exxon who could knock off the perfect product in an afternoon in the lab?
I think these post will continue until someone takes this issue as seriously as a major problem like obesity and just commits some time to it. A bit more effor on the ballasting front please and a little less on boring stuff like dieting and miracle drugs.
.
Have fun with your trains
Fawlty Logic wrote: I just saw another post on ballast! Aaaarggh! I swear----I am going to retire and spend time in the lab inventing ballast to end all ballast which will answer all questions about walnutshells/sand/gravel/magnet particles/cat litter/misting/alcohol/white glue/yellow glue/eyedroppers/spray bottles/syringes/floaters/dust/color change/spreaders/vacuums/nylon stockings/vibrators (say this is getting me hot)It will be non-magnetic, self-adhesive, find its own level, never change color, allow easy removal, will not attract cats, create realistic sound levels and make me a million dollars......a million dollars you hear!I will be rich, rich beyond my wildest dreams. I will be the toast of the modelling world, give lectures, sign cartons at the LHS for my fans. Rich I tell you!Really, doesn't anyone out there have a brother-in-law who works at NASA or DOW or Exxon who could knock off the perfect product in an afternoon in the lab?I think these post will continue until someone takes this issue as seriously as a major problem like obesity and just commits some time to it. A bit more effor on the ballasting front please and a little less on boring stuff like dieting and miracle drugs.
But will it look good and make coffee?
Nice Rant!!! Way to get it off you chest. LOL
I'd buy it!!
Have I mentioned lately how much I HATE doing ballast?
How about self laying track and self installing sound decoders?
I'll take 25 lbs.!!
Hmmmm self laying track?? is it also self cleaning? I'll take some that too! LOL
I've seen sooo many posts on ballast\ballisting and what NOT to use. Seems like no one ever agrees, so I just do what I want and don't give a hoot what anyone says.
Speaking of ballast, I was wondering if if I can run my Big Boy (HO) in 15" radius curves using WS fine ballast, I have a friend who uses medium size ballast but sometime his decoder burns out for no reason at all, also would it look silly to have an Acela double heading with my Big Boy in the 1980's thru San Diego?
Man I feel better now, thanks for this "vent thread". ;)
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Which DCC system should I buy? And which trains are the best?
P.S.-My train broke. What should I do to fix it?
Ballast? What's ballast??? Is it that brown corky stuff that I put my track on?
By the by. Which side up do you put that corky stuff? Also, while I have your attention here, I split those strips down the middle like someone mentioned and stuck them down with flour and water paste. But when I put my track down, the ties hang over both sides and one side is angled and the othe side is squared off. Did I do something wrong???
Blue Flamer.
"You show me a man with both feet on the ground and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants on." -anonymous
This is a joke, right? Or are you serious? Sometimes I can't tell. I'm going to go with you being serious, so I'll try my best to answer your questions.
The brown corky stuff you put the track on is called roadbed. Ballast is the rocks and the stones that go over the track and the roadbed to make the roadway (track) look more realistic. What you were supposed to with the cork roadbed was split it down the middle as you did, then turn one piece 180 degrees so the squared off sides butt up against each other, then the angled sides would be on the edges of the roadbed. The narrow side of the roadbed goes up, and the wider side goes down.
Hopefully this helps some.
Modeling the N&W freelanced at the height of their steam era in HO.
Daniel G.
dale8chevyss wrote: This is a joke, right? Or are you serious? Sometimes I can't tell. I'm going to go with you being serious, so I'll try my best to answer your questions. The brown corky stuff you put the track on is called roadbed. Ballast is the rocks and the stones that go over the track and the roadbed to make the roadway (track) look more realistic. What you were supposed to with the cork roadbed was split it down the middle as you did, then turn one piece 180 degrees so the squared off sides butt up against each other, then the angled sides would be on the edges of the roadbed. The narrow side of the roadbed goes up, and the wider side goes down. Hopefully this helps some.
Hook, line and sinker!
Where can I buy pink foam?? (in California??) Will the white beaded stuff work??
I have this plastic painted ballast called Kato.
It is a wonderful plastic track peice. Got little stones too.
I enjoyed that semi rant very much.... "Rich! I tell ya Rich!"
lol.
That plastic takes a powder for weathering.
I spent 4 weeks once loading a ore car with wood land scenics glue and red ballast, gluing layers of stone in the entire load together. UGH.
jkroft wrote:As long as my ballast is DCC compatible I'm happy!
lol........ thats awesome.
but seriously tho, yesterday I wanted to convert the brass turnouts and sectional track on my new 48'x92' basement layout to DCC but when I point my remote at it, it doesn't move. Do I need to insulate my frog? Or can I just use styrofoam?
Blue Flamer wrote: Ballast? What's ballast??? Is it that brown corky stuff that I put my track on? By the by. Which side up do you put that corky stuff? Also, while I have your attention here, I split those strips down the middle like someone mentioned and stuck them down with flour and water paste. But when I put my track down, the ties hang over both sides and one side is angled and the othe side is squared off. Did I do something wrong??? Blue Flamer.
vsmith wrote: .
You are quite repetitive without providing any useful information.
Mark
More informative than your statement is the fact that virtually half the people in the world have less than average intelligence.
markpierce wrote: vsmith wrote: .More informative than your statement is the fact that virtually half the people in the world have less than average intelligence.Mark
You know...I've always wondered that. I hope you got your I.Q. data from the smart half
NSlover92 wrote:LMFAO, I love it, great thread, hey while I am here What do you guys think about Bachmann? Mike
Best thing since Tyco!
Geared Steam wrote: Speaking of ballast, I was wondering if if I can run my Big Boy (HO) in 15" radius curves using WS fine ballast, I have a friend who uses medium size ballast but sometime his decoder burns out for no reason at all, also would it look silly to have an Acela double heading with my Big Boy in the 1980's thru San Diego?Man I feel better now, thanks for this "vent thread". ;)
Hi Geared Steam,
I realise that you are joking about running an HO Big Boy around 15" radius curves, but guess what, There is one that WILL DO IT. The first release of the Trix BB, without sound according to the owner's manual will handle I believe it was a 14 3/16" radius, never tried it, but the manual said it could do it, have to look goofy as all get out though. The later Trix BB with sound, the manual said 18" radius though, I don't know why the difference they appear to be mechanically identical, just the sound system installed in the later version.
In 3-Rail O-Gauge I have 3 Big Boys, a Cab-Forward and 2 Challengers that will all run 15 1/2" radius (O-31 curves) I don't normally run them on that sharp of curve, and there are things hanging out in space that ought not be, but they WILL run those curves all day long without complaint.
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
If it IS indeed DCC compatible, will the ballast work with my Bachmann EZ Command DCC system???
How many tracks of ballast can I run at the same time with a typical DCC system???
And is this new ballast sound equiped?
;-P
-G
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
galaxy wrote: jkroft wrote:As long as my ballast is DCC compatible I'm happy!If it IS indeed DCC compatible, will the ballast work with my Bachmann EZ Command DCC system???How many tracks of ballast can I run at the same time with a typical DCC system???And is this new ballast sound equiped? ;-P-G
That brings up a good point! Do I need to install blocks of insulated ballast if I'm just running DC?? Are ballast jumpers necessary?
The answer to all the above is a resounding YES!! (except that the Acela looks better double-headed with a Yellowstone or an Allegheney). However, do try and attach your WS fine ballast to the track with something. Testor's non-toxic plastic cement works well--the stuff that smells like a wild-flower patch. Or if you can't find that, Shellac will do very nicely.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
loathar wrote: galaxy wrote: jkroft wrote:As long as my ballast is DCC compatible I'm happy!If it IS indeed DCC compatible, will the ballast work with my Bachmann EZ Command DCC system???How many tracks of ballast can I run at the same time with a typical DCC system???And is this new ballast sound equiped? ;-P-G That brings up a good point! Do I need to install blocks of insulated ballast if I'm just running DC?? Are ballast jumpers necessary?