Any close-up pictures of HO track & ballast?

[austfox]

Hi!

 

Almost ready to lay my first bit of track!

Any chance some of you can post a couple of close-up shots (from above looking down) of your HO track & ballast, particulary if it is on cork. Just want see how the rest of you do it.

I still cannot decide on code 83 or 100, so photos of both would be great.

Thanks. 

[saronaterry]

Code 100 on cork:

Terry

[nbrodar]

Here's my code 100 track.

On cardboard:

On cork:

On WS Trackbed:

Nick

[ARTHILL]

I am NOT GOOD at this, but here is one pic of a early start. It is on foam, ballast laid, soaked with Wet Water and then with diluted white glue. I find this job tiresome and keep putting it off. I would rathjer build the scene. I have finished this section a little, but much learning is still needed. My ADVICE: Do some, you will learn more by doing than reading.

[selector]

This is probably not quite what you are looking for, but here is a lot of ballast, some in focus, some not.

[loathar]

Sure!


Central Vally track with WS fine grey blend ballast.


Atlas code 83 with WS fine grey blend.
Tracks are painted with Rustoleum and Krylon camoflauge brown spray paint.

[wichmannb]

How about checking out the "how to" article from MR?  I thought it was pretty clear and a great tutorial for "first timers".

Jan 2007 "ballasting made easy"

http://www.trains.com/mrr.default.aspx?c+a&id+2005

 Good Luck!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Here's all I get on that link:

Server Error in '/' Application.

---

The resource cannot be found.

Description: HTTP 404. The resource you are looking for (or one of its dependencies) could have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please review the following URL and make sure that it is spelled correctly.

Requested Url: /mrr.default.aspx
 

[shayfan84325]

Here's one with one of my home made ground throws.  I use ME code 70 track and WS light gray fine ballast.  I'm a Neanderthal who drives nails through the ties.  I don't find it objectionable, and I like the way I can make small adjustments by pulling a few nails levering the track to a new position, even after I ballast.

[loathar]

Here's all I get on that link:

Server Error in '/' Application.

---

The resource cannot be found.

Description: HTTP 404. The resource you are looking for (or one of its dependencies) could have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please review the following URL and make sure that it is spelled correctly.

Requested Url: /mrr.default.aspx
 

I've run into that a few times in the last couple days from the MR site.

[MisterBeasley]

This was meant to show the "scenic cover" between the two tracks, but the ballast is there as well.

This is HO Code 100 Atlas track (both flex and the turnout) over WS foam roadbed, with WS medium gray ballast.

There's an Atlas switch machine hiding under the mound of scenery in the center.  I hate the look of those switch machines, so any time I can bury one it makes my layout look just that much better.

[bogp40]

Some on the club layout

Oh, wait a minute, that's the 1:1 version

[DeadheadGreg]

hey bog, that first picture:  ME flex mainline with handlaid yard tracks?

[BCSJ]

Here's code 83, 70, and 55 ME track next to each other at Oakhill on my current Bear Creek and South Jackson. Ballast is Smith & Sons.

 

Here some code 70 ME (with code 55 spur) on my Redland diorama

 

Regards,

Charlie Comstock 

[trainnut1250]

My advice: go with code 83.

Photo has code 83 foreground, code 70 siding both ME flex.

 

 

Guy

[bogp40]

hey bog, that first picture:  ME flex mainline with handlaid yard tracks?

The 2 mainline tracks to the left are Walther's/ Shinihara code 83, and yes the yard is handlaid. The club members decided to use the Walther's over the ME.

[tomkat-13]

[shayfan84325]

Nice work Tomkat.  Are these guys hard at work or hardly working? 

Excellent replica of a worksite.

[wedudler]

 

Wolfgang 

[The Old Man]

Everybody is so generous with their time in posting their great pictures.  Thanks from a newbie.  I was wondering, for those that spray paint their tracks, how do you (or do you need to) clean off the tops for electrical contact?

 Thanks

[wedudler]

If the paint is fresh you can take cloth with solver.

I use for the dry paint a rubber.

Wolfgang 

[fiatfan]

http://www.westportterminal.de/meetings/2008Ubach-Palenberg/08-03-29_IMG_3691_1200.jpg

http://www.westportterminal.de/H0-USA/Diamond_Valley/08-03-02_IMG_3354_1200.jpg

Wolfgang 

Absolutely stunning!

 

Tom 

[shayfan84325]

http://www.westportterminal.de/meetings/2008Ubach-Palenberg/08-03-29_IMG_3691_1200.jpg

http://www.westportterminal.de/H0-USA/Diamond_Valley/08-03-02_IMG_3354_1200.jpg

Wolfgang 

Absolutely stunning!

Tom 

Gotta agree with you, Tom.  There is some fine work in those pictures.

[jfugate]

Here's my track:

(Click image to enlarge) 

The very first issue of Realistic Layouts (May 2006) featured my Siskiyou Line on the cover, and the lead article was how I weather and ballast my track.

You can also find more info in my Scenery Forum Clinic. 

[SilverSpike]

Atlas flex track Code 83 and Woodland Scenics Fine Gray Ballast

[bogp40]

Here's my track:

(Click image to enlarge) 

The very first issue of Realistic Layouts (May 2006) featured my Siskiyou Line on the cover, and the lead article was how I weather and ballast my track.

You can also find more info in my Scenery Forum Clinic. 

Joe,

You still have some of the best ballasted track I've seen. I have tried your Tempra coloring method. That's the trick. Way better than stains, dyes and diluted paints.

Thanks for the tip.

[DeadheadGreg]

 

Wolfgang 

 

 

Wolfgang: please tell me thats a code 83 turnout from Andy's Proto87 store.......    I've been jonesing so hard to see a picture of one of his turnouts "in action"

[doctorwayne]

Nothing wrong with copying well-done model track, but this may help, too:

 

For painting rail, I find that a brush is faster than spraying, as there's less clean-up.  Use at least a 1/2" brush, with fairly stiff bristles - it'll let you work the paint around the moulded-on spike heads, and hold enough paint that you don't have to reload it so often.  I use PollyScale paint (no odour) and do about 12' or 15' of track at a time, then wipe the rail tops with a dry rag stretched over my fingers.  The paint will be dry to the touch, but not fully hardened, so it wipes off easily.  I always wait at least 24 hours before running trains.  Turnouts take a little longer to paint - centre the points until the paint is dry.  If you spray the rails, anything near the tracks needs to be removed or covered, and if you have an around-the-room layout, it's awkward spraying the far side of the rails - it's easy for the "sprayer" to become the "sprayee".   Another reason to prefer a brush over spraying is that any overspray becomes dust on your layout, which is not conducive to trouble-free operation.

Wayne 

 

[wedudler]

Yes, these are turnouts from Proto:87, code 70. Here you will find my experience:

http://www.westportterminal.de/H0-USA/diamond_valley_e8.html

Wolfgang 

[austfox]

For painting rail, I find that a brush is faster than spraying, as there's less clean-up.  Use at least a 1/2" brush, with fairly stiff bristles - it'll let you work the paint around the moulded-on

 

 

Hi!

So in your experience is it best to paint the rails before or after laying the ballast?