Well I was scenicing over the weekend and has a small area near an already ballasted area using the WS foam putty stuff. Needless to say the application was a bit sloppy and now there's a section of ballast that requires some work (I'll probably just remove and re-ballast). Which brings me to my question - when did you / do you intend to ballast? After using the technique in this thread and reading a couple comments within, it seems to me that ballasting should be last (or right near the end) in the layout process. I say after because: Reason #1 - Attempts to scenic around ballasted areas are VERY difficult and require additional work in the off chance you spill ground goo or whatever on it - and taping off a tight area with lots of curves is far from productive Reason #2 - To make it look like ballasting took place after the existing scenery was there (as in real life) - I think it would save you time in the long run if you were able to be not-so-precise with turf application knowing that ballasting would lay over any imperfections. Reason #3 - Checking the track without ballast is a lot easier to pinpoint problems, then when you ballast you can isolate ballast induced problem areas Would love to hear arguements for and against my theory... to help those not ballasted yet.
Scenery is a long process. take your time. Just sprinkling on one layer of ground foam will give you a look of one layer of ground foam sprinkled on. Mutliple layers is the best result. Also, ballast can go on whenever. I prefer to do it later. but you will end up touching things up here and there at every stage of scenery.
I agree^ I'm thinking I will do the major rough ground cover application, then airbrush the track, then apply the ballast last. And as time goes on, maybe I will add more little details like shrubs or tall grass.
Trackwork, first. I prefer ballast last since I rip up track often. As to the scenery vs. ballast order, unless you are going for professional photo layouts, do it in whatever order you wish.
IHave done it both ways. Seems as though it depends on what type of scenery I'm building. But overall, I tend to ballast last. Or I suppose it's next to last, if adding some overgrowth, or weeds to a right of way........ Boxcab E50
Only ballast when you are absolutely positively completely sure you have the track where you want it, the electrical bugs are all worked out, and the track is reliably operational. {plink, plink} Ask me how I learned this?
Hmm, interesting, I work on about 4 friend's layouts and the opposite is true. First track, then electrical, then ballast, then much latter (sometimes years) the scenery. But I should add, these guys have been in the hobby just after being weaned from the diapper and have amazingly accurate plans without really having to move any "errant" track (amazing I know). I on the other hand have many errant track...lol. But I will also lay track, electrical, then ballast, then scenery. However, it should be noted, by the time I ballast almost two years will have past with the track in place and many hundreds of hours of track scrutinizing gone on before that first trickle of ballast begins.
