Ballasting, how to do it

Not a popular task with many modellers, ballasting however is essential. Here, I take you through how I do it. I’ve done this many times, and have learnt a lot along the way. Much can be learnt from past errors, they key is to making sure you don’t repeat them.

In a previous article I covered how to chose the right ballast for your layout.

With the track laid, and the ballast chosen, it’s now time to apply it.

Spreading

For sure you can apply it by hand, and I have done many times by hand. If you do it this way I have found that an old toothbrush is a key tool. And very cheap and effective one. Once distributed, using either pinch by pinch or using a teaspoon, you can run over the top of it with an old toothbrush. This has the effective of making sure it is well compacted down in between the sleepers on your track. Also, it means that you don’t have an excess of it above sleeper level interfering with the running of your trains in the process. An excess of ballast above sleeper level, especially close to the rails once glued in place can make your trains prone to derailing. Done forget in N Gauge, you are talking models that 1/144th the size of real life so tolerances are small.

Faster an easier is to get a ballast applicator such as the one shown below.

The benefit of this type of tool is that you can cover larger areas much faster. This makes track laying much faster and less painful. However, in my opinion it doesn’t produce the quality of results that spreading by hand does and still needs some finessing afterwards. In all my trials the sleepers have definitely been buried. And, the ballast shoulder outside the rails can be as high as the rails itself.

Fixing in place

Once nice and evenly spread, your ballast needs fixing in place. The main technique for this, is to use dilute PVA. Methods for applying this PVA vary.

The dilute PVA glue should be approx 50/50 spread between PVA and water. The key here this is to add in a small amount of detergent. This has the effect of making it much easier to apply as it reduces the surface tension and makes it flow more evenly and smoothly. The common choice here is to add a couple of drops of washing up liquid from the kitchen. Through trials I have also found that a small amount of car screen wash is equally effective. My personal choice is to go for screen wash, I’m not quite sure why but I just find it easier to work with. Maybe, because it is case it is what I am used to in the main.

Applying the glue

As with how you dilute the glue, there are a couple of choices here. My preference as discussed below come from practice. However, I can understand how the alternative options will work for other modellers. How you go about it I guess just depends on trial and error and what you end up feeling comfortable with.

My personal preference, and that of my former father in law who got me back into modelling as an adult is to use a plastic pipette. These are widely available and cost a few pence each, with packs of 5 and 10 available for a pound or two on ebay. You can also pick them up from many exhibitions where tool and scenery suppliers have them available. This method will take you longer than the other popular option. However, I find it allows me greater control as to where the glue is applied. Crucially also, it make it easier to keep away from the more sensitive areas such as point blades. You’ll probably also find this way you end up applying more glue mix. However, personally I’m ok with that.

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