bklynman01
Active Member
I personally leave ballasting until I know for sure I want that track plan. If there are small section that certainly will not change, go for it, but if there are any areas that you think may change later, it's easier to change without having to dig those tiny stones out from between tiny ties.
I also like to work on each scene completely from beginning to end, but this personal preference. I like seeing the transformation from "toy area" to "tiny world".
As for the purpose of preventing rail from being jostled out of place, there should really be a minimal concern for this. In general, try not to lay your tools on tracks, or lean on them while reaching deep into the layout. The trains that run on those tiny tracks are not scale weight (hopefully) so tracks are not moving under operating load. Even if they move a small amount, it won't be enough to cause any problems.
I also like to work on each scene completely from beginning to end, but this personal preference. I like seeing the transformation from "toy area" to "tiny world".
As for the purpose of preventing rail from being jostled out of place, there should really be a minimal concern for this. In general, try not to lay your tools on tracks, or lean on them while reaching deep into the layout. The trains that run on those tiny tracks are not scale weight (hopefully) so tracks are not moving under operating load. Even if they move a small amount, it won't be enough to cause any problems.