Ballast Quantity

[Ngoody]

For N scale track, approx how many feet will a shaker bottle of WS ballast cover? If using a real rock ballast, how many feet to the pound could one expect?
thx

 

[Dougget]

I think your question has too many variables to answer accurately. For example, the thickness of the roadbed, or even the use of roadbed makes a difference in the amount of ballast needed. Myself, as a person new to ballasting, I anticipate more wasted material than someone with experience.

Best advice is to buy a small package and try it. Based on your own personal experiment, you'll be able to make the most accurate estimate.

Another option would be to head over to a local hobby shop and ask them for advice.

Doug

 

[Trucula]

Doug is right. Ballasting is allot like painting, it will depend on how thick, how wide, how much you waste, that will determine how far it will go.
A good tip (I learned here) is to paint the roadbed close to the same color then you can apply it thin and it will go much farther. Also another tip (again learned here) is to take a shop vac next day after its dry, and place a nylon stocking on and into the hose. This will catch any loose gravel and you can re-use the extra. Just be ready to catch it once you turn the vac off.