Ballast HO questions

[trstahly]

I see a lot of light grey on many layouts but I prefer brown. I ordered some fine dark brown, medium medium brown and not sure what the other brown it but what is the preferred grade of ballast fine, medium or coarse or do you mix them? I am getting ready to practice on my temporary layout to get the hang of it before moving to my more permanent layout.

 

[santafewillie]

You didn't post what scale you are modeling in, but since I model in HO, I'll answer from that perspective. In actuality, fine ballast is the correct size for HO. But in my opinion (and others as well), medium really looks better. Yes, they can be mixed, colors as well as sizes.
Here is how medium mixed gray looks like on my HO layout. The covered hoppers are on a track ballasted with medium light gray.

 

[trstahly]

You didn't post what scale you are modeling in, but since I model in HO, I'll answer from that perspective. In actuality, fine ballast is the correct size for HO. But in my opinion (and others as well), medium really looks better. Yes, they can be mixed, colors as well as sizes.
Here is how medium mixed gray looks like on my HO layout. The covered hoppers are on a track ballasted with medium light gray.
View attachment 198064

It is HO and the med grey does look nice I will get a bag and try it. Thanks

 

[logandsawman]

I see a lot of light grey on many layouts but I prefer brown. I ordered some fine dark brown, medium medium brown and not sure what the other brown it but what is the preferred grade of ballast fine, medium or coarse or do you mix them? I am getting ready to practice on my temporary layout to get the hang of it before moving to my more permanent layout.

Where I live there is taconite traffic, and that tends to darken the ballast quite a bit.

Further from the iron range, there is a variety of colors seen on our mainlines, I just noticed yesterday the BNSF mainline had two distinct colors in a 1 mile section visible from the freeway bridge. A dark gray and light gray. If you are doing prototype modelling, you have lots of choices.

If you are going for a certain "look", then you are the only one you have to please. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

my 2 cents. Dave LASM

 

[Guilford Railman]

If you are modeling a prototype and certain area and want to be as accurate as possible, then that’s something to consider when selecting ballast. However, I think that when it comes down to it, build your layout the way you want

 

[traiNscale]

just out of curiosity. the ballast around lake michigan and canada. does someone has maybe a hint or two?
Because i will try to model around this area, but till now was not looking into the balast discusion.

thnx in advanced.

 

[NorthBrit]

As I mentioned on another thread ----

Ballast changes colour over time. What was once clean with almost a sheen to it, ballast has oil and grease spilt on it. Dust particles in the air settles in it. Ballast also attracts other man-made products that are carried by the railroad.
A wander down by the railroad tracks will bring many surprises. Seeing what you see and not what you thought you saw bring a different perspective on the scene.

 

[TLOC]

I am in the Midwest of the USA and I model a Wisconsin rail line though now via Proto freelance. Ballast colors widely differ from CNW pink lady to Milwaukee Roads old black cinders in the north. About the only color I have not seen is a white. Railroads depend on nearby quarries and whatever color is that stone.

If you are modeling a prototype try to match that color, if you are free lance pick a color and tell visitors, the quarry the ballast comes from is off the layout in the aisle.

 

[traiNscale]

thnx @TLOC i think i will go with the quarry story

 

[jward]

During the steam era it was not uncommon for railroads to use cinders for ballast on yard and secondary tracks. This gave the ballast a dark, almost black look. Cinder ballast survived well into the 1980s on some lines, particularly those without alot of money to reballast lightly used tracks.