Thanks for the advice, So the best way to go is just paint the baseboard and not fiddle with separate ballast? I may put some scatter between the tracks where they are not too close.
What is the best paint to use to weather the track without reducing it's conductivity too much?
Thanks
Paul
rayw46 wrote:I'm confused (that happens quite often on this forum). I thought Unitrack (Kato) had a molded on ballast, which doesn't look half bad, especially in comparison to the Bachmann, Atlas and Lifelike entries. At any rate, if you're going for movable track, scenery, structures, etc., ballast, which should be glued down for a variety of reasons, would be too permenant.Ray
I'm confused (that happens quite often on this forum). I thought Unitrack (Kato) had a molded on ballast, which doesn't look half bad, especially in comparison to the Bachmann, Atlas and Lifelike entries. At any rate, if you're going for movable track, scenery, structures, etc., ballast, which should be glued down for a variety of reasons, would be too permenant.
Ray
Unitrack does have ballast molded on, which while it doesn't look half bad, doesn't look half good either. Hence many people will add ballast to it. However, ballasting and not being permanent don't go well together. If you must ballast unitrack in a non permanent situation, I would only use a little at the base to smooth the transition, and use the old eye-dropper and glue technique. If you have to move the track, you should be able to bust off the ballast if you keep it just at the transition point between molded on ballast and layout surface, note I said SHOULD.
Paul,
You're requirements really keep you from doing too much. Ballast should really be fixed in place to keep it out of the mechanisms, etc so with loose track you've got your work cut out for you. If you don't mind having the ballast chip where the joins are you can cement the ballast directly to the unitrack. I would paint the molded on ballast and rail first in the colors you want (usually a gray or black for the ballast and rust for the rail. The MDF you can paint with a base coat in an earth color and then add details from there. You'll probably find you need to fasten the track to the board any way as leaving it loose will make you crazy as the rail joiners loosen up, but if you want more than bare table and track, that can get you started. Hope that helps. J.R.
I am building a layout with Unitrack (HO) and wondered what the best method was for ballasting around the track. The Era is modern Diesel and set around the BNSF area.
I do not want to fix the track down as I may want to dismantle the layout or change bits without damaging the track. The baseboard is flat fibreboard (MDF) lying on a table. The track plan is for a double main line oval with industries in the middle, like a typical 4 * 8 layout.
What I would like your advice on is whether to just paint the baseboard grey where the tracks will be and lay the track on top of it, or whether to ballast a strip of the baseboard around the track and then lay the track on top of the ballast. For the double track sections do I ballast between the two tracks or put a strip of grass/vegetation between them?
Some tips on how others have used Unitrack on a layout or photos would be great.
Thanks for your help.