Track Ballasting Tutorial
Tools and Supplies
1. 1 inch foam brush
2. 1/4 inch stiff bristle brush
3. small container for ballast
4. small mixing dish for glue
The Process
Mix glue with water, just enough to make it slightly soupy, but not too much or it will dry too quickly.
Using your stick bristle brush, apply the glue on both the roadbed and the foundation, but mostly on the foundation. The purpose being that you want the ballast to form a nice clean edge for the next steps.
Once you are finished with applying the glue mixture, pour the ballast on the glued roadbed. What we expect to happen is that the glue on the foundation will capture the ballast as it is flowing down the roadbed. You want to apply just enough ballast that will cover the end ties as shown in the photo. Once you complete applying the ballast to the edges, then pour a small amount of ballast between the rails, just enough to cover the rails but not too much as indicated in the following photos.
Using the foam brush, start with the brush at an angle between the rails, dragging it along until you start seeing the excess ballast start pouting out onto the edges of the track. Once you are finished with your first pass, then take the brush, covering both rails and the center ties, pull it along until you see the ballast off the ties. Then once you finish this part, remove any ballast still on the ties in between which if you do this right, there should be very little.
Now to the tie ends, using the foam brush’s edge with the handle sloped over the rails, push the ballast into the spaces between the ties; the purpose of this is to reduce those voids between ties and underneath the rail which makes the rails seem like they are floating in space. You want to cover the tie ends but not so much that you end up with ballast between the rails, leading to another cleaning.
Again, using the foam brush’s edge in the outer web between the top of the rail and tie, and the brush’s handle pointing away from the track at a slight angle, pull it along, but keeping the sloped edge of the brush horizontal with ties. We want to remove any ballast from the top of the tie ends. You should start seeing a very clean looking ballasting job.
Then using the foam brush, pull any remaining ballast scattered on the foundation towards the ballasted roadbed, shaping it to slope.
Now we move to the next step, cementing the ballast permanently.
I like using small spray applicator bottles for their misting capabilities as well as to prevent children from taking a full scale spray bottle and dangerously spraying each other in the eyes or on other important things.
Starting about a foot above the ballasted track, spray the 50/50 wet water on the ballast. Make a few passes until you can start seeing the ballast changing color. Then keep spraying but get closer to the ballast until you start seeing the wet water pool between the rails. Once this is finished, move to applying the Scenic Cement. I am sorry that I couldn’t take a photo for this step but it is very self-explanatory. Start by keeping your misting applicator high, then gradually with each pass, start getting closer.
With your small applicator as shown earlier, drip the cement in between the rails until you start seeing it pool, then move on to the tie ends. Starting at the edge of the ballast and foundation, drip the cement, what you want to see is the cement wick into the ballast, provided you’ve applied enough wet water. Once you are finished, move your cement applicator to the tie end, again dripping the cement onto the ballast, you should see the cement vanish during the first few drips, then start to pool, then you can continue on until you are finished.
Then that’s it, you are finished with that part.
If you should accidentally squeeze your cement applicator and it knocks some of your ballast away, use the wooden handle to gently tap some ballast back into place. Another tip is not to touch the ballast for 24 hours or more, then when you do, do some gently, you want to feel whether the glue solidified, if it is mushy, it is still wet; allow it to dry completely.
