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I'm currently constructing my first real layout -- Woodland Scenics' "Scenic Ridge." According to the directions, after laying down the plaster cloth, I'm then supposed to install the roadbed, track, and ballast. It seems a little strange that this would be done BEFORE the cloth is painted and had some landscaping done.
I'm sure this is quite the noob question, but I wasn't able to find the reasoning behind this while doing some research.
I'm sure there's quite a few ways to go about it, but I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts and opinions.
It can be done either way. Read through the many build threads in the Layout, HO and N scale sections.
There are pluses and minus' with either sequence.
If you laid track and ballast first then be sure to cover the track when working on the scenery. The big advantage of track first, particularly if this is your first layout, is to test run all locos and cars to ensure there isn't any derailment and other issues that would hard to fix if the scenery is done.
I think it makes sense to at least put a paint coat down before adding the readbed and track. That way the white plaster cloth will be easier to hide down the line.
I think it makes sense to at least put a paint coat down before adding the readbed and track. That way the white plaster cloth will be easier to hide down the line.
I ballasted my track before doing the scenery. Two inch blue painters tape is your friend in this situation. It's just wide enough to cover the tracks and ballast without being too sticky. I think you'll be fine either way. Good luck!
^That's how I'm planning to do mine. Track, then scenery, then ballast last, and tape over the track during the scenery stage. I've had enough of trying to scrape plaster off of track!
As BW said, since the scenery was there before the RR, I'm doing it that way. Of course I'm putting down track first before any scenery to get it debugged and working properly. After that is done, then comes the scenery, then the next thing is the ballast. The final act in this is then weathering of track and ballast together.
This is how all my layouts, except the first one was done. It didn't make sense to me to do it any other way. In 99% of prototype situations, that's the way it looks. Like the RR was placed on top of the scenery.
One reason for doing the roadbed and track first is in case you find it necessary to reroute the track you don't have to tear into a lot of scenery if clearances aren't sufficient, etc. I've always done it this way (doesn't mean it the only right way, however), and it has worked out well over the last half-century with three fairly large layouts, including the one presently under construction.
Not sure if this helps or not but when I did my layout ( a small 5" X 6') I laid the track and corrected any issues, removed the track then did my scenery then replaced the track over the top of it all, ensuring that I did not interfere with the track route, in other words, I kept the scenery away from it other than painting it. That worked for me BUT, I am new at this too.
Brian W,
The main thing in constructing any layout is to get your rail laid, operating an engine and a car or two to as you go to ensure everything runs smoothly and correct any problems as you go.
One thing you need to watch if using flex track, my preference, is that if/when the rail is cut, that the rail butts fairly evenly together but not extremely tight together to allow for expansion, and inside edges especially as well as the rail surface are filed clean and free of any burs that can catch on the wheel flanges as they roll bye. Also the base of the track needs to be clean and free of burs for rail joiners which I assume you will be using so they make good connection as well as holding firmly to keep the track aligned properly.
Back to your question:
The point has been brought up prior that the scenery was there prior to the rail line which is true of course but what think needs to be added is that to tie your railroad into your scenery railroad often used available rock as ballast to save on expenses and that most definitely ties the track into the scenery rather than the ballast being something totally different.
Woodland Scenics, for whom I'm a dealer has a great selection of products but don't discount Real Dirt/Earth outside your door in various areas too as nothing looks more natural at least for initial ground cover when sifted. Also if your lucky enough to have any dirt area that cars or trucks run over and create powdered dirt that's exactly what you want and free to gather a coffee can full of to be used as desired. Nothing looks more like Real Dirt than Real Dirt and various shades are also usually available.
So I'd suggest you get most if not all your track in place and connected and tested a number of times and then create your scenery as you see fit, but use the Blue Scotch Painters tape to cover the rail and ties and road bed if you want, and then do your scenery so you can try tying the color of the rocks in with the ballast in some spots to help the rail line fit in with the surrounding scenery as nothing will tie it in better. I think you'll like the effect as it's so much more natural.
Also in some area such as yards and sidings which are always at ground the rail is often set right on the ground with only a light ballasting and that often gets pushed into the mud when it rains and many spur lines are even overgrown with weeds.
I have done the roadbed, laid the track, covered it, and then added the scenery using aluminium window screening and ground goop. Later I added the ballast. That worked well.
I like to try different techniques. Instead of splined roadbed this time, I am using cookie cutter, and I have already laid and ballasted the tracks...no scenery at all yet except for the tunnel portals.
You really should cover the tracks and ballast as you add scenery. You can cover any imperfections at the margins with bushes and shrubs, rock walls/fences, and so on. Later, in the final stages, you paint the rails to make them look rusty and you don't worry about some of the paint running down onto the ties...that's what happens in the real world as well.
Here is the first way, ballast added last:
Here is my current build with the tracks already ballasted, and I am just now getting to adding scenery:
With care and patience, a bit of know-how and determination, you can make both ways work very well.
My preference is to save the ballasting for the very last step, since most imperfections with my trackwork don't reveal themselves until weeks or sometimes even months after the initial test run. Correcting un-ballasted track is a helluva lot easier [for me] than fixing ballasted track.
There isn't a right or wrong method for Ballasting track - Ballast is primarily, a visual or cosmetic portion of the trackwork.
I've done ballasting both 'before' and 'after' scenery, but on my current layout, I'm convinced that most important is the operation.
Good operation starts and ends with excellent trackwork and good planning.
If you think about what the purpose of ballast is on a real railroad track, it's primarily for proper drainage of water and to offer support for the track, as well has aiding in keeping the track in place.
The first thing you want to do before scenery is make sure you have laid solid trackwork with smooth joints and above all, superb electrical connections and proper wiring guages for your power busses.
Once you have completed and thouroghly tested your trackwork to your satisfaction, I recommend ballasting at this point, to do the same thing as thereal ballast does - offers a firm support to help aid in keeping the track in place.
It's easy to 'run' your scenery upto the track's edge once you know everything is working flawlessly nad you'll have a lot more confidence in theconstruction of scenery if you know the trackwork will deliver!
I agree, and as one becomes experienced in laying track, one can assure himself inside of a couple of days that his alignment, curvatures, wiring, and choices of turnouts have all come together nicely. I am at the point in the hobby where I routinely ballast as I go along provided I can get a locomotive and two coupled long passenger cars to go over joints well without any hitches or undue noise, and stay coupled on vertical curves and azimuthal curves, including those with superelevation. Once you know you have it all in place according to your plan, fixing the tracks in place with ballast offers a great deal of insurance that it won't budge and cause gaps to change in any way.
