Large Scale Central

Short Video from 5-8-16

I wanted to test out the new ballasted sections of track. Good excuse to run a train. lol. It’s a real short video though.

That’s damn nice ballast. . . .

Was there a train in there somewhere?(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Matt, I still like your weathering! Never tire of seeing it.

I use smaller ballast because when I try to use big pieces like you have there, they seem to migrate up on me and the sharp edges catch the axles of boxcars and other rolling stock, locomotives too sometimes. They also tend to work their way onto the ties, catch the wheels. and derail my trains. I use the bigger ballast on the banks, but not in the track so much anymore.

edit: p.s. I like the caboose too, a train is no real train without a caboose!

lol. Thanks Devon

Thanks John. I’ll probably add a little weathering to the csx sd40-2 in the future. Nothing too bad, just add some grime. I’ve not had any trouble with this ballast. I wet it, then after it dries it is hard. I can walk on the area where the grain elevator is, and the soon to be church, and it won’t move. Even on the track it’s stuck in place. I had to move the switch over by the elevator a little and had to chisel the rock loose. lol.

**Matt Russell said:**I wet it, then after it dries it is hard. I can walk on the area where the grain elevator is, and the soon to be church, and it won’t move. Even on the track it’s stuck in place. I had to move the switch over by the elevator a little and had to chisel the rock loose. lol.

Say what? Now you’ve lost me Matt…I use crusher fines, or crushed granite, myself. What are you using that cements itself in place? I’d love to find something like that. Does it have some kind of limestone composition or something? Also, does it come in grey or red?

Thanks.

Say what? Now you’ve lost me Matt…I use crusher fines, or crushed granite, myself. What are you using that cements itself in place? I’d love to find something like that. Does it have some kind of limestone composition or something? Also, does it come in grey or red?

Thanks.

The stuff I use is called paver base. It’s not cheap. It’s like 2.80 a bag and it doesn’t go far. The main reason I went with it over crusher fines was convienance. I did’t want a pile of crusher fines just sitting in the yard until I could get to it.

I didn’t realize at the time that it has something in it to dry hard. I’m guessing lime. I’d bought one bag just to test out what it would look like and ending up liking it. I’ve had several bad storms in the last month. It stays put. When I am putting it down I use a large old plastic cup and pour it out over the tracks. Then use an old paint brush to get it out from inside the rails and position the road bed.

I use the same stuff. I get it at either Home Depot or Lowe’s, whichever has it cheaper. The brand is Pavestone. Here is a photo of my granddaughter helping spread the material around the ties before the rail is spiked in place on a section of hand-laid track. I’ve not seen it in any other color than the tan-buff shown here. After it gets wet, it sets up like concrete.

Here’s a link to a post on my website that shows a bit more how the material is sifted and placed. http://www.rhyman.org/archives/741

Bob

Bob,

when your sifting out the larger chunks and using the finer material are you then going back and placing the larger chunks on right of way? The lower track away from your granddaughter looks to be more coarse then the stuff she is applying.

The sifted finer material looks as if it would make a great un-ballasted dirt filled yard look compared to your lower track that looks truly ballasted.

Devon, I’ve not noticed any larger stuff in it. I get mine at Lowe’s, but like bob said I"m sure home depot carries it too. Here’s a link to it. http://www.lowes.com/pd_100166-29629-339501079___?productId=3459738&pl=1&Ntt=paver+base

Yours looks like Bob’s that he is using on the lower track in his photo. His granddaughters appears to be much more fine a materiel. The stuff in her bin look like dirt. Where as on the lower track it looks like courser material like yours.

Nice video Matt. The coupling shot, low angles and weathered cars make the trains appear more interesting and realistic.

Yeah, mine is like Bob’s track on the left. I agree, the bin looks like it has more dirt in it.

Thanks Todd. I came in a little hot for the couple. I was watching through the phone and not the train coming in. lol.

I love Chessie stuff !

Nice run!