Need inexpensive alternatives for ballast

[selector]

You mean you didn't ask!!?

[twhite]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

Toolbox_guy, I had a similar experience myself just yesterday!. I went to a place closeby that sells compost, mulch, gravel, topsoil, etc by the truckload. I drove in and told a young fellow that I was modeling rip-rap for a series of bridge abuttments. He replied that he hads just the thing, asked my scale, and then informed me that he is into S-guage.

Small world.

Small world is right. Went over to Home Depot yesterday to get lumber and extruded foam for my new extension project. As I was leaving, somehow the buzzer went off. I just stood there while the guard came up and inspected my receipt. She saw my T-shirt ('STILL PLAYS WITH TRAINS',) grinned and said, "I know what you bought THIS stuff for!" and waved me on through. Neat lady. I wonder if she's married-----------
Tom [:D][:D]

[selector]

Toolbox_guy, I had a similar experience myself just yesterday!. I went to a place closeby that sells compost, mulch, gravel, topsoil, etc by the truckload. I drove in and told a young fellow that I was modeling rip-rap for a series of bridge abuttments. He replied that he hads just the thing, asked my scale, and then informed me that he is into S-guage.

Small world.

[ukguy]

I used a bag of oil spill clean up gravel stuff from Wal-Mart. I just sifted the bag using my wifes large flour sifter (she's a chef and do not tell her i used it ) I obtained enough ballast to do about 100ft of double track main line ( although I unfortunately do not have the space for 100ft of mainline, i have plenty left over) the stuff is predominently light grey with lighter and darker shades, some black, so it looks realistic.
The bag cost $2.95, I only used the finest pieces for ballast so I have 99% left for other uses, like oil spills, I got plenty of ballast and it is very lightweight. And it doesnt attract cats.
some pics are on my site below.

[ukguy]

I used a bag of oil spill clean up gravel stuff from Wal-Mart. I just sifted the bag using my wifes large flour sifter (she's a chef and do not tell her i used it) I obtained enough ballast to do more than 100ft of double track main line ( although I unfortunately do not have the space for 100ft of mainline, i have plenty left over) the stuff is predominently light grey with lighter and darker shades, some black, so it looks realistic.
The bag cost $2.95, I only used the finest pieces for ballast so I have 99% left for other uses, like oil spills, I got plenty of ballast and it is very lightweight.
some pics are on my site below.

[Anonymous]

One of my relatives went to a local quarry and asked for limestone gravel dust. They asked what he wanted it for and upon telling the lady at the scale shack she called on the radio for one of the workers there. He came up drove him to the biggest pile of HO scale ballast you could imagine and gave him a 5 gallon bucket full for free. He screened it and came up with three different sizes, and the worker at the quarry even came over and helped ballast some track. You just never know where you'll meet a fellow modeler.

[AggroJones]

I only use colored kittie litter for talus and rock piles.

[Anonymous]

I concur with those who recommend kitty litter.

A small bag of "generic brand" kitty litter, once sifted through a cheap flour sifter, goes a long, long way. I don't recommend "name brand" kitty litter, though, as they keep putting little blue-colored granules in it. "Generic" brand also works well to simulate gravel, such as for a roof, driveway, or parking lot. I've even used some of the larger granules to simulate falling boulders at the base of a cut by the right of way.

The color of cheap kitty litter, as is, makes for a pretty good color of track ballast, but if you do want to tint it, I've had great success simply using an appropriate color of Rit clothing dye. It, too, is quite inexpensive.

I do not know if one of your earlier responders was pulling your leg or not. My wife has three (@#$%^) housecats. All have played havoc with my layout at one time or another over the years, but none have ever confused my track ballast as a kitty litter box.

[selector]

Hi. I'm new, both to model/toy trains and to this forum. Very helpful people. In particular, I would like to thank Bilb2k above, for his alterness. I had already gathered two shades of local beach sand (Vancouver Island), washed both in purified water to desalinate, and only fleetingly thought about what it was that made the darker sand dark. Thanks to my new friends here, I immediately waved a magnet over the dark stuff, and, well, the rest you can guess.

Many thanks for all of your posts, here and elsewhere. My new layout is only days away from first steam, but it would have been short-lived with magnetic material in my ballast!

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jfugate

QUOTE: Originally posted by brothaslide

QUOTE: Originally posted by CBQ_Guy

If you think a bag or two of ballast is too expensive, you just might be in the wrong hobby . . .
seriously. Sorry. [:(]

I read this post and I just had to shake my head.[V] I'm not down on you CBQ_Guy but your post comes off negative and a little arrogant.

I don't think Paul was trying to be arrogant. I believe Paul's point was if you are worried about the price of a $4 bag of ballast, then you better not go over to the loco section of the hobby shop!

Be prepared to spend some money if you are serious about the hobby. But hey, have you checked out the price of a new boat lately, or the price of ski lift tickets? Many of the more interesting and fun hobbies cost some money, and I don't think model trains is even that high on the list compared to the price for other popular pastimes.

Yeah, like Joe said...but he said it better! [B)]

[KemacPrr]

Really? Where did you find this out?


One of the local model railroaders and a good friend is a chemist at DuPont. we were both looking at ballst types at the same time and were wondering what Woodland scenics was made of. He took some to the lab tested it and found out it was dyed crushed walnut shells. My guess isthat WS has a source for them after they are used in some cleanin g process such as media blasting. --------------- Ken McCorry

[twhite]

Egad! Woodland Scenics is ground up walnut shells? First I had to worry about cats using my ballast outside for poopies, now I have to worry about SQUIRRELS in my garage eating my TRACK? Whoever said that this hobby isn't interesting, LOL?
Tom [:O][:O]

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by KemacPrr

Woodland Scenics ballast is ground up walnut shells so if you're looking for that just buy some Woodland Scenics ballast. --------------------Ken McCorry

Really? Where did you find this out?

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by brothaslide

QUOTE: Originally posted by CBQ_Guy

If you think a bag or two of ballast is too expensive, you just might be in the wrong hobby . . .
seriously. Sorry. [:(]

I read this post and I just had to shake my head.[V] I'm not down on you CBQ_Guy but your post comes off negative and a little arrogant.

I don't think Paul was trying to be arrogant. I believe Paul's point was if you are worried about the price of a $4 bag of ballast, then you better not go over to the loco section of the hobby shop!

Be prepared to spend some money if you are serious about the hobby. But hey, have you checked out the price of a new boat lately, or the price of ski lift tickets? Many of the more interesting and fun hobbies cost some money, and I don't think model trains is even that high on the list compared to the price for other popular pastimes.

[jfugate]

If you make your own ballast from sand or whatever, I cannot stress enough the importance of running a magnet through it.

Years ago, I found some finely ground gray sand at a gravel pit and used it for ballast. An old timer model railroader found out about it and he stuck a magnet in my box of ballast, saying I should check the stuff to see how magnetic it was. I thought he was crazy.

Well, he pulled out the biggest wad of ballast hanging on the end his magnet that you ever saw.

I was shocked.

Whoops! That stuff gets in your loco motors and does not do good things.

Since that time I decided cheap substitutes for ballast just aren't all they are cracked up to be, so I went with commercial model ballast and haven't had any problems since.

[KemacPrr]

Woodland Scenics ballast is ground up walnut shells so if you're looking for that just buy some Woodland Scenics ballast. --------------------Ken McCorry

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BoRockhard

I heard the Sierra Pacific Line club layout in California uses ground walnut shells. I don't know where you would get that many walnuts though. Seems pretty cheap.

you should be able to buy ground walnut shells at home depot or lowes for sand blasting.... Sand blasting has been using walnut shells for several years now because it breaks down and is enviromentally friendly.... you may need to break it down a little more but I am sure it would make great ballast.

[brothaslide]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CBQ_Guy

If you think a bag or two of ballast is too expensive, you just might be in the wrong hobby . . .
seriously. Sorry. [:(]

I read this post and I just had to shake my head.[V] I'm not down on you CBQ_Guy but your post comes off negative and a little arrogant. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but I'm starting to see more of these types of posts that are negative and of no value and no one benefits from it. I believe many people in our hobby are on a tight budget and any way, method, or technique to stretch a dollar makes you a better modeler and helps to free up finances for more expensive items like engines, rolling stocke, etc.

Peace

[CBQ_Guy]

If you think a bag or two of ballast is too expensive, you just might be in the wrong hobby . . .
seriously. Sorry. [:(]

[brothaslide]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

Bikerdad's absolutely correct. Kitty litter attracts Kitties. Indoors or out. I tried using kitty litter (suggested by a well-meaning friend) as ballast on my outdoor railroad about six years ago. I don't want to tell you what I had to use my snow-plow for!
Tom[:O][:O]

Thanks twhite - You gave me a good laugh.

I think Aggro is right. It seems like the shaker bottle is the most simple thing to go with. Too much work (for me) with the other methods mentioned - all input was appreciated.

Take care,

[Anonymous]

I heard the Sierra Pacific Line club layout in California uses ground walnut shells. I don't know where you would get that many walnuts though. Seems pretty cheap.

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

Pay the $9.50 for giant 32oz. shaker of WS ballast. That amount goes a long way.

I must urge you to go with the Woodland Scenic jug-o-ballast. Its non-magnetic, you don't need to worry about cats crapping on it, and mold/bacteria will not grow. Plus, its totally safe, non-toxic.

[twhite]

Bikerdad's absolutely correct. Kitty litter attracts Kitties. Indoors or out. I tried using kitty litter (suggested by a well-meaning friend) as ballast on my outdoor railroad about six years ago. I don't want to tell you what I had to use my snow-plow for!
Tom[:O][:O]

[Bikerdad]

One problem with using kitty litter:

If you have a cat that is litter trained... it frequently doesn't distinguish between the cat box and the ballast... not good.

[RedLeader]

Grounded marble. You may find it at any construction supply store. Grain comes in different sizes and colors. Really cheap!! and work really well. Very prototypal, both in size (for any scale) and colors.

[cacole]

Cat's Pride cat litter can be used for HO scale ballast and does not need to have anything done to it except spread it out and glue it down. A 20 pound jug costs less than one small package of ballast from a hobby shop. Check your local supermarkets and stores such as Wal-mart.

[Anonymous]

I used patio and paver base, which is available at Lowes. A twenty pound bag is only $5.00. I was able to sift out my ballast and had some nice rocks left over. It is the same color as the light gray ballast by Woodland Scenics.

[Anonymous]

I have used rice in my freight containers sitting on my flat cars, used up batteries wrapped up in tissue for my container cars, coffee grinds for my coal cars, and even real water in some of my tank cars that are actually water tight. With the heavy weight of the locs I run (metal frame), I don't like my rolling stock to be too light.

[bikerraypa]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bilby2k

WHATEVER BALLAST YOU COLLECT, MAKE SURE YOU SPREAD IT OUT THINLY AND GO OVER IT SEVERAL TIMES WITH A STRONG MAGNET!

It is astonishing how much magnetic material can be found in even the most innocous looking sands.
You don't want any of that finding its way into your motors and wheel bearings!

VERY VERY true. Make sure you demagnetize it first or you'll have problems. The kitty litter works well too, but when you grind it, mix in a few drops of concentrated Lysol (the stuff in the brown bottle) to prevent mold, etc. Gotta watch with the kitty litter, though, because it draws damp.

The best alternative I've found to regular ballast is fleck paint. I used the PlastiKote Fleck Stone spray-bomb stuff. You can get it for about 5 bucks a can at Wally World. It looks pretty good.

Ray out.