Time for ballast...

[wm3798]

One of the treasures that came in the box of vintage stuff from my cousin was a bag of John's Ballast.  Remember them?  Ground stone, really nice color, very fine... I'd put it on a par with Ed's grout.

I'll be using it to dress the Unitrak Roadbed on my challenge modules.  Truly the Rock of Ages...

Lee

[Mike Madonna]

I'm delighted to hear that Smith & Sons is still going!  Thank you for sharing that.  Dale passed away about two weeks after he sent me 10 pounds (~1 gallon) of #50 Penn-Ohio limestone.  I was particularly keen to get this particular blend because I had already ballasted the top deck of my layout and I wanted to match it on the lower deck.  Here is a shot that gives a pretty good sense of its size, shape, and colour:



If you're starting from scratch, the other suppliers mentioned here are good sources too (AZRM, Scenery Express, Highball?), but you'll have to try and judge the shape & colour based on marginal catalog photos since mail order is about the only way to get it around here.  (I had mine shipped to Pt. Roberts as well.)

Gary, I too am VERY glad to here they are still around. Used the same as you on a diorama I did, extremely pleased with the results! Here are a couple of "samples" and an Atlas #10 on the diorama

[Angus Shops]

Ed, I'm going to test out the sanded grout method and give it a fair try. I like the local availability and wide range of colour aspects a lot. I'm thinking it might be particularly effective on the yard tracks where I'm looking for a dark and fine textured cinder look.
Geoff

[C855B]

This reminds me.  I placed an order with Arizona Rock & Mineral Co. a few weeks ago.  My PayPal payment went through, but I have heard nothing and received nothing.  I need to try to call or email them.

Interesting. I just received a note and PayPal confirmation from Phil saying he was about two weeks behind. If you haven't heard anything yet, yeah, e-mail 'im.

[wazzou]

My only real problem with grout, admittedly never having used it, but I think it's hard to control in sort of the opposite way of WS nut shells. (Or, maybe similar?)
It looks like it leads to a lot of unevenness and divots or almost washouts.
I've seen evidence that it leaves too much on the ties and rails that I think is more difficult to clean up like ballast (grout) adhered or stuck to both.
It's pretty easy to flick a couple of stray stones off with a toothpick.
My concern is with all of the effort taken to paint ties and rail and then leave a cloudy, gritty mess on all of that effort...
No thanks.

[nkalanaga]

I remember John's Lab.  Never used them for ballast, but I still have a bag of #204, N scale "Buff".  I've never seen ballast quite that shade of yellow, but it looks good as old mill tailings for my mining area.

[CRL]

I’m interested in trying the sanded grout idea. I’m a big fan of using common construction materials instead of specialty hobby products wherever possible due to the cost difference and availability.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed, I'm going to test out the sanded grout method and give it a fair try. I like the local availability and wide range of colour aspects a lot. I'm thinking it might be particularly effective on the yard tracks where I'm looking for a dark and fine textured cinder look.
Geoff

I’m interested in trying the sanded grout idea. I’m a big fan of using common construction materials instead of specialty hobby products wherever possible due to the cost difference and availability.

Awesome.

The one thing that is annoying IS the initial investment: no single variety is going to give you what you need. You'll need to blend it, which can quickly become pricey (although you'll end up with more ballast than everyone except @C855B will ever need). You can help solve that by going in on some with friends though.

[davefoxx]

This reminds me.  I placed an order with Arizona Rock & Mineral Co. a few weeks ago.  My PayPal payment went through, but I have heard nothing and received nothing.  I need to try to call or email them.

DFF

Out of the blue, I received a package from AR&M last night.  No note or correspondence from them since the order was placed, so I have no idea why I heard nothing for almost a month.  But, ballast is finally received.  I'll report back later on the color and texture.  First, I guess I need to rip out the ballast that I installed on about three or four feet of track.  Ugh.  If the trackwork wasn't complicated through there, I'd just rip up the track and replace it.

DFF

[DKS]

The one thing that is annoying IS the initial investment: no single variety is going to give you what you need. You'll need to blend it, which can quickly become pricey (although you'll end up with more ballast than everyone except @C855B will ever need). You can help solve that by going in on some with friends though.

How hard is it to un-ballast track using sanded grout? At least with traditional ballast and white glue, soaking it with water loosens it up and allows track to be removed.

[davefoxx]

How hard is it to un-ballast track using sanded grout? At least with traditional ballast and white glue, soaking it with water loosens it up and allows track to be removed.

TNT or C-4 ought to do it.

[Dave V]

TNT or C-4 ought to do it.

That said, I have the following two observations about sanded grout as ballast:

- It tends to recolor the ties, so you're likely to have to go back and repaint them carefully.
- Under high-res photography, some of the bits appear translucent.

I'm using sanded grout for dirt roads in HO and it's great for that purpose...but were I using it for ballast I'd be awfully nervous around turnouts!

[CRL]

TNT or C-4 ought to do it.

That would be a real negative... too much paperwork and permits.

[Jbub]

That would be a real negative... too much paperwork and permits.

I could only imagine. I'm just trying to demolish my current house and it's insane the loops I have to jump through.

[nkalanaga]

"Standard" mortar sand is very close to N scale ballast size, cheap at a masonry supply, but usually limited in color.  For those who paint their ballast, that wouldn't be a problem.  Most of it here in northeast Kentucky is yellowish brown, the same color as the local dirt. 

I have no idea what the price is today, as I bought about 80 pounds 20 years ago.  I say "about" because the dealer didn't have a scale small enough to weigh my box, being set up to sell truckloads.  We estimated the weight based on the volume, then rounded the price up to 100 pounds.  At $20.00 a ton, that box cost me a dollar!  I'm still have at least half of it.  Never actually used it for ballast, but used a lot for scenery base, glued down just like ballast.  If I'd thought about it, I would have used it for the MILW branch, instead of buying AR&M just for that.  The BN has a different color, so had to be bought from AR&M.