I have laid about 150 feet of SVRR track in my basement, and am really happy with the look of it. After getting used to it, the code 332 sectional track layouts in Springfield a couple of weeks ago looked ridiculous. However, I have started ballasting, and have found it to be an extremely fussy affair. I am able to glue it down, of course, indoors, but it has started me thinking about what it’s going to be like to use it outdoors in the spring.
Temperatures here range from -10° to 100° over the course of the year, and we got a lot of precipitation and freeze/thaw. I had planned to float the track to let it expand and contract, but hadn’t given much thought to the ballast between the ties. The SVRR tie strips have that center strip that needs to be concealed, so the track can’t just sit on top of the ballast.
I wonder if the people who are using SVRR track in similar climates could share experiences and strategies for ballasting.