balast - All Model Railroading

hpept · 19th Dec 2006, 16:06

I've found several sources indicating how to succesfully ballast track, but none of them seems to put an accent on how correctly ballast turnouts to allow trouble free operations after ballasting them. A brief tutorial would be greatly appreciated.

B-17_Fortress · 19th Dec 2006, 17:27

I'm just really careful to keep the ballast just below the tie level, and also clear of the switching mechanism. It is carefully brushed into place, and out of places it shouldn't be, before any adhesive is added ( watered down woodworking glue )

Steve

Howqua · 19th Dec 2006, 20:51

I do the same as Steve.

hpept · 19th Dec 2006, 23:03

Thank you guys. I'm a little concerned about it because I've never tried to ballast a track, and I don't want to mess up with a turnout. I'll have to take care of it...

BR60103 · 20th Dec 2006, 01:49

I haven't ballasted a turnout for years; I operated with a guy who would ballast track between sessions and the turnouts wouldn't work the next week.
I note that Canadian National (for one) take the ballast down to bottom of tie level at the points, and keep it low between points and frog. I think this could be done with a coarse grade of sandpaper under the track.

brungardra · 20th Dec 2006, 04:02

David,

I like that sandpaper idea, especially for N scale. A 60 grit paper painted to match the ballast would look good, as long as the ballast to sand paper joint was blended. I have seen people paint a ballast color below the turnout, but next to ballasted track it looks goofy. I usually just use the ballast sparingly, and before I glue it down, I oil the ties that the points slide over with labelle oil. While the glue is drying I make sure to work the points back and forth to keep everything from seizing. Once I tried the oil trick, it has worked flawlessly. As we all know from science class, oil and water don't mix.

Rich

Engineer Jim · 21st Dec 2006, 14:14

In the past i have ballast the track and just painted grey underneath the turnouts moving parts, i usally get away with it and looks quite good.

wickman · 24th Dec 2006, 18:43

Seeing as my Ballasting is 95% done and I did try ballasting the turnouts I can now say that if your going to ballast in the turnout put just enuff so you can say its there but before ballasting in that area I gave it a real muddy looking painting in and around the ties then did the same on the ballast I had put in. Afterall turnouts are always well greased up so this looked pretty good. When I was ready to seal it I used a more diluted glue and wet water so none would blob up. I then worked the turnout back and forth quite a bit to make sure it moved freely. After all was set the next day I still had to work in the turmout , I even resorted to giving a few drops of nail polish remover to loosen everything up, which by the way I found to be a great rail cleaner for getting the paint off the rails.

oldshutterbug · 25th Dec 2006, 21:59

When it comes to ballasting turnouts you can call me "Chickenman", being an N Scaler I learned from my last layout what the result of getting watered down PVA can do to the moving parts.

For my current layout I used Bluetack or Plastacine to block off any flow of glue that could find its way into moving parts, I later used a fine brush with undilluted PVA and just a very light sprinkle of ballast over the glue to fill in the blank spaces, no problems this time all 14 turnouts move with ease.

wickman · 26th Dec 2006, 01:09

OK I just finished spending a great number of hours and still more to go to make my pecos electrically change from opened to closed and I've come to the conclusion to never ballast a turnout again

19th Dec 2006, 16:06	#1
hpept Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: São José dos Campos - Brasil Posts: 114	How do you ballast turnouts? I've found several sources indicating how to succesfully ballast track, but none of them seems to put an accent on how correctly ballast turnouts to allow trouble free operations after ballasting them. A brief tutorial would be greatly appreciated.

19th Dec 2006, 17:27	#2
B-17_Fortress Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Washington, North East UK Posts: 1,878	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? I'm just really careful to keep the ballast just below the tie level, and also clear of the switching mechanism. It is carefully brushed into place, and out of places it shouldn't be, before any adhesive is added ( watered down woodworking glue ) Steve __________________ Only Dead Fish Swim With The Stream. See My Layouts, Jeep, Planes, Other Models, Workshop, etc Here

19th Dec 2006, 20:51	#3
Howqua Global Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Coffs Harbour Australia Posts: 7,336	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? I do the same as Steve. __________________ Keith in Oz Head Honcho of The Howqua Valley Railroad and Timber Co. (timber,lumber,who knows)

19th Dec 2006, 23:03	#4
hpept Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: São José dos Campos - Brasil Posts: 114	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? Thank you guys. I'm a little concerned about it because I've never tried to ballast a track, and I don't want to mess up with a turnout. I'll have to take care of it...

20th Dec 2006, 01:49	#5
BR60103 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 506	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? I haven't ballasted a turnout for years; I operated with a guy who would ballast track between sessions and the turnouts wouldn't work the next week. I note that Canadian National (for one) take the ballast down to bottom of tie level at the points, and keep it low between points and frog. I think this could be done with a coarse grade of sandpaper under the track. __________________ David "11 minutes late this morning, reaction to rolling stock shortages at Nine Elms."

20th Dec 2006, 04:02	#6
brungardra Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 614	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? David, I like that sandpaper idea, especially for N scale. A 60 grit paper painted to match the ballast would look good, as long as the ballast to sand paper joint was blended. I have seen people paint a ballast color below the turnout, but next to ballasted track it looks goofy. I usually just use the ballast sparingly, and before I glue it down, I oil the ties that the points slide over with labelle oil. While the glue is drying I make sure to work the points back and forth to keep everything from seizing. Once I tried the oil trick, it has worked flawlessly. As we all know from science class, oil and water don't mix. Rich __________________ WANTED: MDC Shay kit parts (Frame, Tender and others) and Keystone Loco works log buggies

21st Dec 2006, 14:14	#7
Engineer Jim Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Doncaster, Great Britain Posts: 534	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? In the past i have ballast the track and just painted grey underneath the turnouts moving parts, i usally get away with it and looks quite good. __________________ J.W. Newton Chief bladesman of the Measure Once Cut Twice SawMill. Last edited by Engineer Jim : 21st Dec 2006 at 14:19. Reason: spelling

24th Dec 2006, 18:43	#8
wickman Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,223	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? Seeing as my Ballasting is 95% done and I did try ballasting the turnouts I can now say that if your going to ballast in the turnout put just enuff so you can say its there but before ballasting in that area I gave it a real muddy looking painting in and around the ties then did the same on the ballast I had put in. Afterall turnouts are always well greased up so this looked pretty good. When I was ready to seal it I used a more diluted glue and wet water so none would blob up. I then worked the turnout back and forth quite a bit to make sure it moved freely. After all was set the next day I still had to work in the turmout , I even resorted to giving a few drops of nail polish remover to loosen everything up, which by the way I found to be a great rail cleaner for getting the paint off the rails. __________________ Lynn _____________________________________________ Modeling the L&M Rocky Mountain Pass See my layout progress here-> http://www.all-model-railroading.co....ead.php?t=6627 Old layout http://www.all-model-railroading.co....ead.php?t=5373

25th Dec 2006, 21:59	#9
oldshutterbug Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 37	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? When it comes to ballasting turnouts you can call me "Chickenman", being an N Scaler I learned from my last layout what the result of getting watered down PVA can do to the moving parts. For my current layout I used Bluetack or Plastacine to block off any flow of glue that could find its way into moving parts, I later used a fine brush with undilluted PVA and just a very light sprinkle of ballast over the glue to fill in the blank spaces, no problems this time all 14 turnouts move with ease. __________________ Regards Dave

26th Dec 2006, 01:09	#10
wickman Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,223	Re: How do you ballast turnouts? OK I just finished spending a great number of hours and still more to go to make my pecos electrically change from opened to closed and I've come to the conclusion to never ballast a turnout again __________________ Lynn _____________________________________________ Modeling the L&M Rocky Mountain Pass See my layout progress here-> http://www.all-model-railroading.co....ead.php?t=6627 Old layout http://www.all-model-railroading.co....ead.php?t=5373

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