Ballasting n scale unitrack- how to get the ballast to stay between the sleepers

[voldemort]

I've started ballasting my layout.  I don't hate it like some other people seem to.  I'm using the woodland scenic fine ballast and a mix of white glue and water.  I've tried pre-wetting it with both IPA and soapy water.

My problem is getting the ballast between the sleepers (on the inside of the rail).  The ballast has to be very thin, evenly spread out to fit that little space.  I've fiddled lots with it.  I spray it down.  Then the glue stage seems to 'flood' the track and the ballast moves onto the sleepers, and leaves gaps on the space in between.

I think one of the problems might be that its unitrak- the sleepers are directly mounted on the hard plastic base and there probably isn't much 'drainage' for the glue to flow out.  Another problem, I suspect is that it is N gauge.  The spaces are smaller.   

Anybody have any ideas?  Right now I've softened some of the mix up and am attempting to excavate each sleeper from the overlying (ie pieces that drifted/floated) ballast.

[eja]

https://www.fiferhobby.com/how-to-ballast-your-track/

[DKS]

https://www.fiferhobby.com/how-to-ballast-your-track/

All well and good, but pay attention to the OP. He's ballasting Unitrack, not regular track.

It takes a very light, gentle touch with a fine, flat brush. It also helps to use ballast made from real rock, such as Smith & Sons, or the ballast available from Scenic Express.

Also, when applying the wetting agent (I use 70% alcohol), use a dropper and very slowly release it along the sides of the rails, allowing capillary action to draw it across the plastic roadbed. Do the same with the adhesive (50% white glue and 50% water, with a splash of alcohol).

[dem34]

On top of what @DKS stated. It also helps to try to paint the roadbed the same color as the ballast you plan to use, you'll always miss a spot with how shallow the ties are between the rails. Especially with the concrete variants.

There is no actual ARM ballast between the rails on this double track unitrack piece.

[nscalbitz]

Don't ballast inside.
Just paint. If you must.
It's not that bad once 'grey washed' a little in areas of full ballast.
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cheers

[Maletrain]

I have never ballasted UniTrack.  But, I recently made a layout with it, so I have been thinking about it and taking notes.

So, I am no expert, but it occurred to me that, if you are going to paint the molded-on ballast gray (and/or paint the ties), why not use the paint on the ballast as glue and sprinkle loose ballast over it?  That way, it would only stick where the paint is applied, and, assuming you are careful to only paint between them, it would not stick to the tie tops.  After the paint dries, vacuum the track to get off the loose ballast. 

Not sure this would look much better than just painting the plastic "ballast" and not bothering with the loose ballast, but it seems like it might.

Another thought from looking at real trackage is that the ballast between the rails is often off-color anyway, because of oil, brake dust, etc. dropped by trains.  It tends to make some tracks look a little more brownish between the rails, including over the ties.  That tends to show up a lot with light colored ballast, like what the B&O used in the Alleghenies.

[peteski]

I think that Al's ballasted Unitrak (with just paint not ballast between the rails) looks really good.

[RBrodzinsky]

This is Unitrack ballasted with ARM. One of the biggest issues is WS ballast is crushed walnut shells, so floats. ARM is real rock.

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I ballast the sides first, first painting the side of the Unitrack with dilute white glue. Then bring the ballast up to fully cover the sides. After drying over night, I carefully spread ballast between the ties, using an 005 brush to clean off the ties and even the ballast. It is basically a mono layer of the rock. I then wet with a mist of dilute isopropyl alcohol, and with a fine syringe, drip a dilute white glue between the rails.

Sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but it is tedious.

[nkalanaga]

As Maletrain says, especially in the steam era, the ballast between the ties was dirty anyway.  Often, the ties and ballast were the same "greasy grimy" color, regardless of the ballast color.

It isn't as bad with diesels, and today's trains have fewer motors for the same total horsepower, so there's less dirt than even in the 1970s.  Plus, most mainlines today seem to have the ballast cleaned, or replaced, more often, which helps.

[randgust]

I'm no expert as I've only ballasted very short sections of Unitrack on the ends of my T-trak modules for connectors, and then gone to Peco C55 as soon as I'm clear.   I've used Arizona Rock & Minerals PRR ballast and cinder material only.

But my two adapter modules had a couple of issues, mostly that I've got a Kato turnout right at the edge.  So I've had to blend in the turnouts.

On Trunkeyville and Jamison, I ended up painting the gray plastic ballast 'cinder black' with a small brush and basically keeping clear of the entire mess as getting glue near all those moving parts - when a Kato turnout doesn't have much 'oomph' to begin with, seemed like a very bad idea.  Today's tip is paint the turnout before you every install it, just saying.   I also painted the ties weathered gray to match the tie weathering elsewhere.

Where I wanted to blend in the PRR ballast, I applied full-strength white glue with a sharp nozzle small tube between the ties, sprinkled the ballast on it, gave it a quick mist of alcohol, and let it dry, and then vacuumed and fingered off the excess.    Looked good to me and has not been an issue.   It's matched out to the adjacent C55 as good as possible.

Now, this was OK on something as tiny as a T-trak module, if I had a full layout of Unitrack I wanted to ballast, I wouldn't use Unitrack.  This is just way too difficult to do in volume to this level, particularly the turnout painting.  But it can be done and look good.

[brill27mcb]

As Maletrain says, especially in the steam era, the ballast between the ties was dirty anyway.  Often, the ties and ballast were the same "greasy grimy" color, regardless of the ballast color.

It isn't as bad with diesels, and today's trains have fewer motors for the same total horsepower, so there's less dirt than even in the 1970s.  Plus, most mainlines today seem to have the ballast cleaned, or replaced, more often, which helps.

I think a big part of the difference in the appearance of old-school ballast with "dirt" and modern ballast has a lot to do with no longer using cast iron brake shoes, which put rusting grit all over the track.

Rich K.

[nkalanaga]

Rich:  That could well be a factor, at least in areas with grades, and around stations and industries.  Not so much on the mainlines around Pasco, where I grew up, as the brakes weren't used much out on the road.  Most of the lines were fairly flat, and the few significant grades, like Providence Hill (1% each way), were in areas we didn't go regularly.  But it would be something to consider for other regions and roads.

Most of the NP/SP&S/BN ballast was basalt.  That weathers to a dark gray/brown color, almost indistinguishable from the grease and grime, so the added colors weren't really noticeable.  The ties and rail just blended in a little better as time went by.

[voldemort]

Covid blocked.  Some of the American suppliers aren't shipping internationally (scenic express), so the suggested products I can't get in Canada right now.  I'm going to try using a sieve and  some of the sand in my driveway and using that for ballast between the sleepers.   I'm certain its the floating of the Walnut that is causing the problem.  No amount of wetting is going to make that better.

I'll get back to you with my results. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

My trick is making sure to use nice fine ballast. In fact, in most cases, I'm using "dirt".

[Point353]

Covid blocked.  Some of the American suppliers aren't shipping internationally (scenic express), so the suggested products I can't get in Canada right now. 

Credit Valley Railway in Mississauga, Ontario shows various Scenic Express ballast products in stock:
http://www.cvrco.ca/Products/ProductList.aspx?Search=ballast&Manu=653&Stock=IN&OnSale=Y&Discontinued=N&Promo=Y&SearchType=AND