12-30-2008, 10:09 PM
I recently asked about this topic here (<!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=257">viewtopic.php?f=17&t=257</a><!-- l -->) but now have a similar/related question ....
I've recently been having some success mixing different grades of ballast. I purchased a container of pink/beige coarse HO Woodland Scenics ballast and mixed it with my fine gray WS ballast and started applying it. I was immediately pleased with the results. I really liked how the coarse bits mixed in and stood out with the fine gray ballast -- I thought it looked very realistic.
Then I suddenly ran out of the fine grey ballast so I bought some medium grey ballast and mixed that with the coarse beige ballast. The mix was about 60-70% grey and 30-40 coarse beige. I realize that the best way to be authentic is not to be consistent as the colours and size/weight mix of ballast can change a lot even within one stretch of track.
As I said, I've been pleased with the results but just remembered one thing. A staff person at a LHS -- who is very experienced with scenery -- said he didn't like using HO ballast for HO layouts because the ballast in general was too large. He recommended using N scale ballast on HO layouts. Has anyone else found this or could comment on this?
Thanks,
Rob
I've recently been having some success mixing different grades of ballast. I purchased a container of pink/beige coarse HO Woodland Scenics ballast and mixed it with my fine gray WS ballast and started applying it. I was immediately pleased with the results. I really liked how the coarse bits mixed in and stood out with the fine gray ballast -- I thought it looked very realistic.
Then I suddenly ran out of the fine grey ballast so I bought some medium grey ballast and mixed that with the coarse beige ballast. The mix was about 60-70% grey and 30-40 coarse beige. I realize that the best way to be authentic is not to be consistent as the colours and size/weight mix of ballast can change a lot even within one stretch of track.
As I said, I've been pleased with the results but just remembered one thing. A staff person at a LHS -- who is very experienced with scenery -- said he didn't like using HO ballast for HO layouts because the ballast in general was too large. He recommended using N scale ballast on HO layouts. Has anyone else found this or could comment on this?
Thanks,
Rob
Rob
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