Ballast Color?

[Anonymous]

Hey guys I am in colorado and am wondering what the most common color of ballast was used in the 40's and 50's in colorado. I would like to know also what company or companies do you recomend for ballast. Thanks in advance,

Curt

[tstage]

Curt,

I can't really help you on color question but I can suggest a couple of ballast suppliers: Woodland Scenic and Hunter Scenery.  Woodland Scenic is kinda pricey but is good and can be found just about anywhere.  You can find Hunter Scenery ballast at Modelrailstructures.com.  Dave is just starting out and has some good pricing and choices on MRR supplies.

Afterthought: Curt, are you modeling a particular line - e.g. the DRG&W?  If so, do a Google search and check out that particular line's historical society web page.  Sometimes you'll find that kind of information there.  I'm going to step out on a limb and figure that whatever kind of rock makes up the Rockies is the kind of ballast that was used in Colorado.  Just a guess.

Hope that helps...

Tom

[Vail and Southwestern RR]

I think this may be a hard question, you probably want to find some photos.  I can say that here in AZ there is a double track mainline, obviously built at different times, separated by a few hundred yards, and the ballast colors are significantly different between the two.  It probably depends on where the cheapest source is at a particular time, I imagine it could even be seasonal.

[Dave-the-Train]

There is no one colour to ballast even at a single location.  I suggest that you do a search against my profile and Joe Fugate's in this and the old forum.

If someone tells me how I'll put my stuff on some sort of web page or link.  I'm not very up-to-speed on these things.  (Spend to much time answring posts to work them out).