The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[GimpLizard]

Is there such a thing as a golden spike (stone?) for completing that milestone? 

DFF

A line of gold "nuggets" between the ties, maybe?

[davefoxx]

The SBD passing siding is finished.  I may need those “gold nuggets,” not only to celebrate, but also to stretch my ballast supply (see bottom photo).





This is all of the ballast that I have left to finish the parallel mainline.  It’s gonna be close!    The third track and siding will be a different ballast for the A&R, thankfully.



DFF

[John]

Go down to your local stone store .. get a bag of this stuff and sift it with a small screen  ..

https://theyardnj.com/product/stone-dust/

https://www.lowes.com/pd/GARDEN-PRO-Paver-Base/50329677

[davefoxx]

Wow!  Great idea, @John!  There’s the backup plan, if I come up short.  Stay tuned.

Thanks,
DFF

[glenng6]

Go down to your local stone store .. get a bag of this stuff and sift it with a small screen  ..

https://theyardnj.com/product/stone-dust/

https://www.lowes.com/pd/GARDEN-PRO-Paver-Base/50329677

Thanks for this information. I have used this stuff for many years. In my neck of the woods (eastern PA) it is usually black and called black beauty. I am excited to know it is available in gray. I have been using it in areas, where black would be appropriate (not as ballast), now I can blend the black and gray for a closer color match to my area. Glenn

[davefoxx]

The Seaboard System trackage is fully ballasted. All that remains to be ballasted is the A&R.



DFF

[davefoxx]

A little more ballasting this weekend.  With the exception of the shelf portion of the A&R, which I haven’t decided fully how I am going to scenic, the vast majority of the ballasting on the layout is finished.  You never expected to hear that from me, did you?



I also built another retaining wall out of 2” foam.  It’s preliminarily weathered, and I terraformed around it with lightweight spackling to set it in place. 



DFF

[davefoxx]

A little application of scenic materials to finish cleaning up the scar where I carved into the hillside:



DFF

[wm3798]

Looks like a good spot for a pile of pallets, and maybe the staff picnic table and a barbecue grille.  A couple of workers taking a smoke break would be good.  It is NC... everyone gets a smoke break!
Lee

[chuck geiger]

Dirty up that track Counselor!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Dirty up that track Counselor!

That's a really good point. Those ties should almost certainly be 80% termite *****.

[garethashenden]

That's a really good point. Those ties should almost certainly be 80% termite *****.

Are they considered structural termites at that point?

[davefoxx]

Dirty up that track Counselor!

Agreed.  I may end up burying those ties.  Worst of all is the recycled flextrack that has polished rails.  Those should be rusty!  On the to-do list.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Looks like a good spot for a pile of pallets, and maybe the staff picnic table and a barbecue grille.  A couple of workers taking a smoke break would be good.  It is NC... everyone gets a smoke break!
Lee

Great call on the pallets and picnic table.  I'll add that to the list of things that I may plop down there to liven up the joint.

Thanks,
DFF

[eja]

Looks like a good spot for a pile of pallets, and maybe the staff picnic table and a barbecue grille.  A couple of workers taking a smoke break would be good.  It is NC... everyone gets a smoke break!
Lee

When I lived there, it was the law that you had to smoke and like basketball. 

Fortunately, I escaped. Don't smoke and no longer enjoy basketball either.