Conrail Windsor St Yard (York PA) Engineering Report

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I feel like I need to, again, reiterate , the difference between using unsanded grout, as I did on those sidings, and sanded grout, as I have on my main lines.

[Dave V]

I feel like I need to, again, reiterate , the difference between using unsanded grout, as I did on those sidings, and sanded grout, as I have on my main lines.

Maybe a side-by-side photo?

[Missaberoad]

I find methyl hydrate to be a very effective wetting agent and its cheaper to buy in bulk then rubbing alcohol. (it also works great for removing track/ballast later on) Just avoid open flame. 

Maybe a side-by-side photo?

+1 some side by side closeups would hammer the difference home. You don't find any unnatural translucence or shinyness in the sanded grout Ed? It doesnt appear so in the photos, looks very effective...

[SSW7771]

Great stuff. I going to try use alcohol/glue mix instead of water/glue to see if I can get better results. I already use straight up alcohol for wetting.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Maybe a side-by-side photo?

I don't have a perfect side by side, but here...


In that photo, the track is ballasted with the sanded stuff (note, it's a mixture of a few different colors), and the subroadbed is unsanded.

That photo also reminds me, I need to go clean up that shoulder... which I do, ironically, by brushing on some unsanded... lol.

[Dave V]

I don't have a perfect side by side, but here...


In that photo, the track is ballasted with the sanded stuff (note, it's a mixture of a few different colors), and the subroadbed is unsanded.

That photo also reminds me, I need to go clean up that shoulder... which I do, ironically, by brushing on some unsanded... lol.

I really like the grain size there.  There's some translucence there, but I wonder if you airbrushed a clear flat finish if it would shut that down.  I think a case can be made for the sanded grout as ballast based on this photo.  The unsanded grout works very well in parking lots and other places where the coloration issue isn't applicable...I just wouldn't use it on track.  Or--if I did--I'd need to conjure up a creative way to keep the track clean.

[C855B]

... That photo also reminds me, I need to go clean up that shoulder...

I guess I'm not seeing the problem. The shoulder and subroadbed look natural. If there's anything I'd "fix" as prompted by the relative microscope of the close-up, it is the ballast not covering the ends of the ties, right of center.

[MichaelWinicki]

Agree with Mike... I think the shoulder looks fine.

Agee with Dave on the translucence issue.

Yeah, the grain size looks A-OK!

If it were me I'd mix in more black and a wee bit of brown.  I think it comes off as being a bit too gray for me for that time frame (mid 80's).

[OldEastRR]

Agreed. Rubbing alcohol makes it so much easier for the glue to soak into the ballast without causing issues.

Also real rock ballast like Arizona Rock & Mineral, Scenic Express and Highball seem to be less prone to problems than walnut-shell ballast.

Never heard of the "only alcohol" liquid method before. I might try it. MIGHT. And yes, of course, only real rock for ballast (I've got Highball ballast from the '70s). And sandblasting grit for coal loads.

[MK]

It's all about breaking the surface tension.

[John]

The problem with grout, it's basically cement .. which means you decide to move the track, its toast

[OldEastRR]

Which means Ed's layout is set in stone?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The problem with grout, it's basically cement .. which means you decide to move the track, its toast

This is true. But it also means that the track doesn't go anywhere either... not that that's USUALLY a problem though.

[davefoxx]

This is true. But it also means that the track doesn't go anywhere either... not that that's USUALLY a problem though.

Which is why I won't use grout as ballast.  Go back through the Seaboard Central 2.0 thread to see how many times I pulled up, altered the track plan, and reused track.  It's easy to remove ballast locked down with matte medium or diluted white glue, so that you can reuse the track.  Good luck doing that with grouted track.

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Which is why I won't use grout as ballast.  Go back through the Seaboard Central 2.0 thread to see how many times I pulled up, altered the track plan, and reused track.  It's easy to remove ballast locked down with matte medium or diluted white glue, so that you can reuse the track.  Good luck doing that with grouted track.

DFF

It IS a bit like doing a crossword in pen.