Ballasting - before or after rails?

racedirector Dec 2, 2004

  1. racedirector

    racedirector TrainBoard Member

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    Calling all hand layers, ballasting question.....

    Do you ballast your track before or after laying your rails? I have seen advise about both ways but was wondering what the concensus was here...

    Anyone?

    Cheers
     
  2. ak-milw

    ak-milw TrainBoard Member

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    Bruce, I have only handlaid a very small section of track once just to say I could do it. I put the ballast on just like I do on the flex track and it seemed to work OK! [​IMG]
     
  3. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Bruce:

    I am not a hand layer of track, but the pictures I see in magazines show the ties glued in place and the rails being glued or soldered to those ties. I would say you ballast (very carefully around the points) after putting the track down.
     
  4. ncng

    ncng TrainBoard Member

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    You can do it either way. I hand lay all my track and prefer to do it after all the other scenery is done. This prevents getting plaster in the ballast.

    That said, ballasting before laying the rail has its advantages. The spikes tend to rust from all the moisture (glue & water) used to install the ballast. Ballasting before spiking eliminates this problem. Also, ballasting in turnouts is always a pain. If you ballast before you don't have to worry about points or throw bars that are glued and won't move. Maybe a combination would be best: Ballast turnouts before laying the rail and ballast everything else later.

    David
     
  5. Gary Pfeil

    Gary Pfeil TrainBoard Member

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    I handlay a lot and always ballast prior to laying rails. Primarily because it is so much easier without rails in the way. And as David said, you don't need to be concerned with glueing your switch points.

    Gary
     
  6. N_S_L

    N_S_L TrainBoard Member

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    After - IMHO... too hard to paint and scenic around it... plus, ballasting might disguise/induce track problems
     
  7. Gary Pfeil

    Gary Pfeil TrainBoard Member

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    Perhaps I should give a brief description of my entire process. After laying the ties, they are sanded level, then painted or stained. I then aply the dry ballast, and it is very easy to get the ballast level below the tie tops and looking nice with no rails in the way. After misting with alcohol I apply white glue/water with some dark brown paint added and this bonds and weathers the ballast in one step. When nearly dry go over the tie tops to remove any ballast on them. Rail can be painted/weathered prior to laying if you wish, cleaning those areas needed for electrical contact. I use a small brush to paint the rail sides after laying. Laying the rails on preballasted ties presents no problems, and trouble shooting is easy. There will be no ballast in the webs of your rails. I've had no trouble bringing the scenery up to the ballast later. Tho touching up is often called for. It's probably just a matter of preferance. I hate ballasting flex track because you are pretty much forced to brush the ballast parallel to the rails, ballast winds up in the rail web, it's more difficult to remove from tie tops and often the ballast winds up at tie height, which is ok for some prototypes but not for others. And you needn't worry about glueing your throw bars, they aren't there yet.

    Gary
     
  8. Gary Pfeil

    Gary Pfeil TrainBoard Member

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    Thought I'd try to post a photo of my trackwork. Here goes. [​IMG]
     
  9. racedirector

    racedirector TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks guys

    I think I might lean towards ballasting before the rail goes down.

    Gary, thanks for that explanation, a good account of how you do it. Love the picture of your trackwork too - very nice indeed!!

    Cheers
     
  10. thebullroars

    thebullroars TrainBoard Member

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    I love your track work too! Your an inspiration, that's for sure! [​IMG] :cool:

    I hate to tell you this but you missed one or two steps depends on how you look at it! :rolleyes:

    Do you nail or glue the ties onto the spline or plyboard
    or cork or something else? :confused: My guess would be you glue onto spline!

    I would love to see more of your work!
    Do you have a website so I can see more
    of your layout? Or do you have pics in RailImages?
     
  11. Gary Pfeil

    Gary Pfeil TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Bullroars. The track in the photo had ties glued directly to luan plywood, which I had hoped I could spike into, if with a bit of difficulty. It turned out I had to drill for most of the spikes, and I wouldn't do it again. I should add that I wanted the track to appear a bit neglected. For mainline track I glue ties to homasote, or more recently, Homabed, a premade roadbed made from homasote. I have just 2 photos in Rail Images, I have to reread how to get some more photos in there, haven't used in since July. This is the other one:http://www.railimages.com/albums/garypfeil/aab.jpg
     
  12. Gary Pfeil

    Gary Pfeil TrainBoard Member

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    Oops. Forgot that IMG business. Lets try again. [​IMG]
     
  13. thebullroars

    thebullroars TrainBoard Member

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    Is "luan" a type of plyboard? :confused: :rolleyes: :eek:

    Here is what the link to your gallery should look like:
    http://www.railimages.com/gallery/garypfeil

    I thought you would have alot more photos in your album! :confused:
     
  14. Gary Pfeil

    Gary Pfeil TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, luan is a type of plywood, or at least its in plys. It's the stuff found on those cheap interior doors, like some use for layouts. I've added a bunch of photos, just for you.

    Gary
     
  15. thebullroars

    thebullroars TrainBoard Member

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    Thanx Is that 3rd photo in HO? :confused: That's amazing if it is! [​IMG]

    I really liked the 4th and 8th pic! :D [​IMG]

    What kind or make of steam loco are they? :confused:

    Can you give us a partial if not full pic of your layout, please! [​IMG] ;)
     
  16. Gary Pfeil

    Gary Pfeil TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, it's all HO, that building is a Campbell Brewery. The loco in the 4th photo is an NYC L4 Mohawk, in photo 8, That loco belongs to a visitor to my layout, it's a Life LIke N&W articulated, don't know its designation. I don't have any overall shots of the layout, other than that one of the helix. Most of it is just plywood, and has junk all over it!

    Gary
     

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