Seaboard Central 2.0

[davefoxx]

Very Nice  Don't stop now 

@Rich_S,

I actually intended to try to ballast just one track each night this week, figuring I could have all of the trackage in Aberdeen ballasted by this weekend.  Well, that didn't pan out, but there's always next week.    I did at least run trains the night before last and tested all of the ballasted tracks and one turnout.  Zero defects.

DFF

[Noah Lane]

The ballast looks great, Dave.

What brand/color is that?

[davefoxx]

@Noah Lane,

For ballast, the A&R line is Highball Products Dark Gray, and the SBD line is Highball Products Gray Mix.

DFF

[davefoxx]

I got a little more ballasting (and weeding!) in this weekend.  From front to back, the tracks are: (1) the Southern interchange/Yard Track #2; (2) Yard Track #1; (3) SBD passing siding; (4) SBD mainline; (5) A&R mainline; and (6) A&R storage track in the weeds.  A lot of this ballast is still soaking wet, so I hope you can distinguish the A&R tracks (dark gray ballast) from the SBD tracks (gray mix ballast):


Here's the curved turnout that Chris333 built for me a few years ago.  It's in its final home (on its second layout) and fully ballasted in:


DFF

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Looking great Dave!

[davefoxx]

Thanks, Jeff.

[seusscaboose]

coming along nicely!

[davefoxx]

Thanks, EP!

[glakedylan]

Dave...very nice work on the ballasting
everything is coming together so well
for one who claims to hate ballasting
you do an excellent job!
thanks for sharing
sincerely...

[davefoxx]

Thanks, Gary!  Part of my loathing is it just takes sooooooooo freakin' long to do a high quality job of ballasting.  I have hours in the ballasting you see in the picture above, and that's not even all that needs to be ballasted in Aberdeen, nevermind the ballasting on the new expansion, including Hamlet Yard.   

DFF

[John]

Thanks, Gary!  Part of my loathing is it just takes sooooooooo freakin' long to do a high quality job of ballasting.

the real railroads don't do a "high quality job" ...  why should you

[wm3798]

Exactly what I was thinking.  I would take enough time to make sure it didn't look sloppy in terms of MY workmanship, but I never fussed over it more than the 1:1 guys do!

Lee

[davefoxx]

the real railroads don't do a "high quality job" ...  why should you

Exactly what I was thinking.  I would take enough time to make sure it didn't look sloppy in terms of MY workmanship, but I never fussed over it more than the 1:1 guys do!

By the description of ballasting as a "high quality job," I meant that I was trying to make it look better than if done by a three-year-old, not that it's perfect or even better looking than the prototype.  Unfortunately, for me, that takes me forever.   

DFF

[glakedylan]

Dave...all your time is definitely worth it
and shows in the results
it's good enough to be a representation of the PRR ballasting
sincerely

[chuck geiger]

Junior DFF