N scale ballast problem

So i am doing some ballast work on my layout and i have a static electricity problem. I have never had a problem with static before. as i am spreading the ballast static is causing the ballast to cling to the ties. Once its spread and off the ties i can actually watch the ballast jump on to the ties.
Anyone have an idea how to stop it.
Thanks
Joe

 

Try running a humidifier in the train room?

 

Yep no track power and the ballast is woodland scenics. I also have never had this happen. I have ballasted lots of track in my days. Lol

 

You might be on to something. The layout is in a finished basement i need to run a dehumidifier in the summer otherwise the humity is at 80% according to the unit. With it running 24 hours a day it stays at 50%.And i didnt have the problem then.
Thanks

 

One thing to consider is that using a natural animal bristle brush on plastic ties probably creates a static charge. That charge probably bleeds off quickly when the air is humid, but not now, because cold air is dry air, and it does not get wetter just because you heat it in your house. Spraying a mist of conductive fluid, or maybe just some water, on the track would probably stop the problem, but I don't know for sure.

 

Try using Arizona Rock & Mineral natural rock ballast. You won't have that problem with Arizona Rock & Mineral ballast.

Have fun with it......

Shades

 

You may want to apply a very fine mist of water before applying the ballast. Other than that it sounds like extreme dry conditions in the area which may call for a humidifier. Maybe no more than a simple inexpensive cool mist humidifier for the winter months that is one of the small room type.

 

Thanks for all the insite. All my layouts have been in florida so thats probably why i nevet had this problem. I started this layout last december here in pa. So first winter laying ballast.
You learn something everyday.lol
Thanky you all

 

I agree.
AR&M or one of the other real rock ballasts won't have the static problem. WS is ground walnut shell (or something along those lines) and is prone to floating and static. Switch to real rock ballast and life will be good.

 

Mist the area around the track to add humidity. If you mist the track itself it makes the ballast want to stick to the rails. Also try touching your ballast spreading device to both rails to remove the charge.

 

I believe that the Woodland Scenics ballast is made from crushed walnuts, and is a lot lighter material than other ballasts. When I started my layout, I was using a product made by Johns Ballast (no longer made). When I was finishing the last section of track work, I used Woodland Scenics ballast and found that it was a lot lighter than the other ballast which was apparently some kind of rock material that had been ground to a fine material.

 

Winters in Philly - I held a car or house key between my thumb and forefinger to bleed off the static charge before I touched any doorknob. I'd get arcs up to a centimeter long between the key and doorknob. 15KV will create an arc across a centimeter in dry air...OUCH

A humidifier or mist generator should solve your problem, assuming they are sized for your space. Takes a lot of moisture to counteract the dryness your furnace creates.

 

What color ballast by WS are you using? I have WS ballast and yes it is hard to make it lay smooth because it's so light. However, mine certainly feels like rock to me. I have crushed walnuts for polishing and I am using the fine gray and fine buff colors. I am trying to simulate local limestone and that is close. I am in SE TN and it is a very time consuming job to get right. Maybe I am battling static as well but it is not nearly as easy as HO ballast

 

You could try wiping the track with a dryer sheet before ballasting or maybe a wire with a 1 meg ohm resistor in it clipped to the track and an earth ground the same as an anti static wrist band would be.

 

Whereabouts in PA?

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