Basic Scenery - Ballast

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="108beaa0.jpg" border=0 width="190" height="170" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Modular Railroading</B></div> <div> <B>at its Best</B></div> <div> <A HREF="basic_scenery.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Basic Scenery"><U><B>Basic Scenery</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FCSME Member: Bill Carl"><U><B>Back to Bill's Homepage</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> How To Clinics</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="10" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="600" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0000CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 62 ><NOBR><div> FCSME Member: Bill Carl</div> <div> <I>M o d u l a r   R a i l r o a d i n g   a t   i t s   B e s t</I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Basic Scenery - Ballast</div> <div> <B>You can click on any picture for a larger version.</B></div> <bR> <div> Ballast can really make or break a scene.  I believe that careful consideration to ballast must be given before track is laid.  As I mentioned earlier, I planned for my ballast profile as I was laying the sub roadbed.  My module has a double mainline so it should reflect good drainage as would the prototype.  The final result should look as if the scenery was there first, the bull dozers came through and graded the right of way, and then the track gang laid the track.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="724" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 184 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/177%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/177%2"><U><IMG SRC="674edb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/178%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/178%2"><U><IMG SRC="673edb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/173%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/173%2"><U><IMG SRC="675edb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 57 WIDTH="242"><div> I use a tablespoon to spread my ballast.  I put some in the center...</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> ...some on the inside edges...</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="233"><div> ...and some on the outside edges.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 184 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/179%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/179%2"><U><IMG SRC="672edb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/180%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/180%2"><U><IMG SRC="671edb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/174%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/174%2"><U><IMG SRC="670edb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="242"><div> Then I take a semi-firm paint brush and gingerly spread the ballast evenly.</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="233"><div> I use the spoon to shape the center profile a bit.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Wet it all down with 'wet water.'</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 184 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/175%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/175%2"><U><IMG SRC="66fedb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/176%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/176%2"><U><IMG SRC="66eedb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="233"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="184" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="233" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="242"><div> Apply diluted (50/50) liberally to every square inch of the ballast.</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="233"><div> You know you have enough glue when you can see the glue pools forming.</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="233"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="76" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="233" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 184 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/185%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/185%2"><U><IMG SRC="66dedb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/186%20Ballast.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/scenery/186%2"><U><IMG SRC="66cedb20.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="233"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="184" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="233" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 38 WIDTH="478"><div> Here are two shots with the ballast all dry.  The resulting profile is simply awesome!</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="233"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="38" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="233" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>