Industry Area Ballast

[preceng]

Does anyone have any tips for installing ballast for trackage in industrial areas where gravel parking, coal spillage, and the like seep to the same elevation as the top of the rails. Basically having the same situation as concrete filled city type trackage, but with ballast. Specifically, I am looking for techniques or methods for installing the ballast material to these depths while providing adequate clearance for wheel flanges.Thanks in advance.

[loathar]

Some folks put down thin strips of styrene along the inside of the rails. Then put down and glue your ballast in place. After it dries, remove the strips and it leaves flangeways in the ballast for your wheels.

[WSOR 3801]

Might as well use the 1:1 scale method. Find a truck with deep flanges, or use a NMRA gauge.  Ballast.  Clean out (cut) flangeways with truck or gauge.  

[HHPATH56]

  For the straight parts of my 7 track stub ended staging yard I slit cocktail straws to slide over the rails. I then applied the ballast and then removed the straws after the glued ballast has nearly dried.  Stay away from the turnout points, of course!  Another technique is to cut, taper and tack down painted cork roadbed on top of the ties, and between adjacent sets of rails. This method brings the painted cork roadbed ballast to the height of the rails, provides flange clearance, and eliminates the mess of applying WS Ballast with glue. If tacked down, it also makes ballast and track removal much easier.     Bob Hahn

[steinjr]

  Another technique is to cut, taper and tack down painted cork roadbed on top of the ties, and between adjacent sets of rails. This method brings the painted cork roadbed ballast to the height of the rails, provides flange clearance, and eliminates the mess of applying WS Ballast with glue. If tacked down, it also makes ballast and track removal much easier.     Bob Hahn

 Hmm - what kind of painted cork roadbed ballast ? Can you get cork pre-painted to look like ballast, or do you just put down cork and paint it in a color to match the ballast yourself ?

Stein, curious