John,
That’s what I have been using for the last 2-3 years. 1/4 minus limestone, just $15.00 a ton at the quarry.
It is a little oversize to be scale but it stays put and doesn’t splash up on all the buildings and rails.
Later
Rick
Yes it stays in place, I’ll continue to buy by the bucket as I don’t need that much and don’t have storage.
Your “pea gravel” appears to have flat surfaces. Around these and many other parts, what is referred to as pea gravel is round.
Ralph
Ralph,
It is round but I have no problems with it. Stays in place very good, the problem I have is when the dog runs though it.
Rick Marty said:Thats what I use
John, That's what I have been using for the last 2-3 years. 1/4 minus limestone, just $15.00 a ton at the quarry. It is a little oversize to be scale but it stays put and doesn't splash up on all the buildings and rails. Later Rick
How about having a look at Polymeric sand. It is sold where ever paving stones are sold. When you are setting a brick, EP Henry, or simply flagstone for a patio, the polymeric sand is swept into the joints. After you are happy that all of the joints are filled, you simply wet them with a fine mist from a garden hose. The sand locks into place once its dry. But it never gets as hard as mortar or grout.It remains somewhat pliable.
So for your backwoods lines, this may be of use to you. It comes in different colors and grit sizes.
I have had Concrete Sand as ballast for a year and a half. It is a very course sand, and pretty close to scale.Less a true monsoon rain, it stay really well. I have compacted material underneath and all floating track. As others have said, make sure you have PLENTY of drainage under your roadbed. Don’t trust your eye, get a hose and water it down. It will become evident what you need to do.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/don_pearson/_forumfiles/gradestart.JPG)
Recently visited my local quarry and I think I have 3 options, looking for suggestions on best combo of options. First pic represents the options. Left to right it’s; 1/4’ Crushed stone, Grit, or Screening. Second pic top is just plain 1/4" and the bottom is 1/4’ with screening.
It looks to me that the 1/4" is a screened rock. So it wont have a lot of fines. If you actually “scale” your ballast, most around my neck of the woods the 1:1 scale guys use a 3-4" optimal sized rock. That figures out in 1:20.3 to about 13/64" rock. Well they dont make that, but 1/4" is real close. So I suggest the 1/4" stuff. But like I said before get something like a gravel with fines in it for a subbase. Use the 1/4 stuff you showed above for your “show” top layer.
Ask the quarry if they have a 1/4" fines or 1/4" gravel. Look at it, you should see 1/4 rock mixed in with a lot of finer material.
Matt,
If you want to use the cinders for your ballast. Why not mix a small amount of Portland cement in with it. It will lighten up the color a small amount but the portland will help keep the ballast in place.
My ballast has arrived, and the fine/screening(in the small buckets) Thanks so much for all the advice and guidance, it was much appreciated and helpful; now can someone come over and help me disperse it. 
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cpo/_forumfiles/Dumpster.jpg)
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cpo/_forumfiles/dumpsterrock.jpg)
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cpo/_forumfiles/screenings.jpg)
That’s an interesting delivery method; in a roll-off. How did you arrange that? I pick it up myself in a small utility trailer about 800-900 lbs. a load for under $10 each.
I’ve not seen a roll-off used to deliver gravel either.
I get 8 tons delivered for $160. If I pick it up, it’s still $20 a ton.
Ralph
I had no means of picking up the quantity I was looking for in a cost efficient manner. I think Tilcon charges $21+ a ton. I asked my contractor if he could pick up some gravel for me. He is a train enthusiast too. He delivered it in a roll off to help preserve my driveway from the intermingling of the rock. Tilcon has a 5 ton minimum delivery to a residence, and they would have just dumped the whole thing in my driveway and I don’t know how much I need.
He said for me to use as much as I want and he will use the remainder on some up coming jobs. I believe it’s about 4-5 ton in there. And he also brought over some fines which are in the buckets. I plan to lay down about 3" of the 1/4" gravel and then top coat it with a mixture of gravel and fines.
So for me to pay him to deliver it, it works for me.
Jon - but I would not have thought to check into Tilcon had you not mentioned it, Thanks.
shelley sherbondy said:R-T-R ballast cars can be had from LGB http://www.onlytrains.com/model/trains/43410.html :lol: :lol:
My ballast has arrived, and the fine/screening(in the small buckets) Thanks so much for all the advice and guidance, it was much appreciated and helpful; now can someone come over and help me disperse it. :) :) :)
LOL. I needed that bit of laughter today. You made my day. Thanks!! . . . But it just may come to that.