Ballasting N Scale tracks, or any track for that matter.

[robert sylvester]

Ballasting has always been a challenge as things move when you try and squirt something on the ballast. Even alcohol and wet water moves the rock.
The Reid Brothers use AMI roadbed, its a synthetic product that stays soft, et adheres to the baseboard or foam core surface really well. Then apply the ballast sparingly and gently bru***o ballast between the ties and along the beveled edge. Taking your finger press the ballast into the AMI roadbed, after you of course, placed the track. The ballast will stay in place, no glue required.
If you are using cork or laying track directly to the sub road bed and have a problem with ballast going to the four winds when you try and use the other various methods, which look so easy in the pages of MR, then pull out the old steam iron.
First, you go to the nearest craft store, maybe even Lowes or the big Orange Box, and buy powered glue. That's right powered glue, then mix it with your ballast, 50/50. Spread the ballast/glue mixture along the tracks, then gently steam it. The moisture will mix with the ballast and powered glu and voila; let it dry and there you have it, no blowing it around and it will fix the ballast in place.
From the WTRR yard office
HUB City Division

[BRAKIE]

Robert,That's one way of ballasting track..[;)][:D]
I simply use a spoon to "dump" ballast,then I use a 1" bru***o spread the ballast,then from about 12-15" I mist the ballast by using a spray bottle of alcohol and then use another spray bottle containing matte medium to glue the ballast in place.Around switch points I carefully use a eye dropper to place the matte medium on the ballast.[:D]