11-06-2015, 12:08 PM
A couple of mundane ballasting phots to start off:
Ballast spread:
Ballast groomed:
Ballast wetted:
Dilute white glue applied:
Ballast dried and track back in service:
The track here is Central Valley tie strips with ME code 83 rail. The track on the right in the ballasting photos uses the more prototypical 8'6" CVT #2003 strips, while the left track is 9'0" CVT #2001. While the former looks pretty good, I found it tedious to install and managed to actually roll a rail when testing it - my locomotives do have extra weight, but I didn't think them to be that heavy! I pulled up the rolled rail without unsoldering any of the joints, applied contact cement to the rail and the tie strips, then carefully re-seated it. For the less-protoypical 9' ties, the rail was originally placed with contact cement (as were all tie strips) and has been problem free. I got a very good price on those 9' tie strips and the only place where the extra length is readily apparent is where turnouts have been installed - I used a variety of ME, Shinohara, Peco, and Atlas turnouts - and from the eye-level view afforded on the upper level, it's not really an issue.
As for the ballast, it's screened Ohio limestone, graciously supplied by my good friend Charlie B. I'll be making a visit to one of the nearby Ontario quarries (at least three within 15 minutes drive) to get some more, and see if the colour is comparable.
Wayne
Ballast spread:
Ballast groomed:
Ballast wetted:
Dilute white glue applied:
Ballast dried and track back in service:
The track here is Central Valley tie strips with ME code 83 rail. The track on the right in the ballasting photos uses the more prototypical 8'6" CVT #2003 strips, while the left track is 9'0" CVT #2001. While the former looks pretty good, I found it tedious to install and managed to actually roll a rail when testing it - my locomotives do have extra weight, but I didn't think them to be that heavy! I pulled up the rolled rail without unsoldering any of the joints, applied contact cement to the rail and the tie strips, then carefully re-seated it. For the less-protoypical 9' ties, the rail was originally placed with contact cement (as were all tie strips) and has been problem free. I got a very good price on those 9' tie strips and the only place where the extra length is readily apparent is where turnouts have been installed - I used a variety of ME, Shinohara, Peco, and Atlas turnouts - and from the eye-level view afforded on the upper level, it's not really an issue.
As for the ballast, it's screened Ohio limestone, graciously supplied by my good friend Charlie B. I'll be making a visit to one of the nearby Ontario quarries (at least three within 15 minutes drive) to get some more, and see if the colour is comparable.
Wayne