Ballasting article in Dec MR question

[JohnT14808]

Actually, when I do ballasting, I try to place any "left over" ballast further down the line inside the rails. If you don't DUMP a huge amount of ballast all at once, then as you work the ballast down the track, you should be able to judge how much you need to fill in the part of track that remains to be ballasted. Then it is just a matter of nudging and patting the ballast into position, wet it down with matte medium, then "gently" apply the glue solution of your choice. There is nothing left to pick up!!

[Anonymous]

While properly-glued ballast should be very solid, as stated above, I have had issues with ground foam and other scenery getting sucked up (rather fragile natural-armature trees near tracks come to mind).

So if you're still running the plywood central, then no problem. If you have other scenery in place, than I'd suggest you a) open the little suction-reducing hold that most vacuums have and b) put a brush attachment or whatever else you may have that can help diffuse the suction... Any loose ballast should be a goner even at that, but less risk of unintentional "oopsies" with other items.

[selector]

Yes, you will lift ground foam from the surrounding surface much more easily than lifiting the ballast....unless it was also properly glued.

[Anonymous]

Bob is right. If you have done your glueing correctly, the ballast will be one solid, rock-hard mass.

[Anonymous]

Any ballast that I've glued down is hard as a rock when dried! Just vacuum up the stuff that missed being glued.

Bob Boudreau

[Blind Bruce]

The article on weathering and ballasting trackwork was very well done and timely for me. Only one point was skipped over and needs to be addressed.
The ballast must be somewhat fragile even after a suitable drying time. What kind of vacuum is used to remove the excess? I know that my shop vac would lift a locomotive if I wanted it to and would surely destroy the delicate ballast.
BB