02-14-2011, 12:04 PM
Even though it doesn't sound like the popular method. I went ahead and spray painted my track work a matte "leather" brown colour straight out of can. I was personally looking for a quick a dirty way of getting things done. I'm happy with the results and the spray paint sticks well to the nickel silver rail. I have been going back and using Floquil paint pens to paint the rails with the Rust or Rail coloured paint pens. To finish the track off once all the ballasting is done, I'll give certain areas a shot of india ink wash down the center of the rails like sidings or yard tracks. I also plan on planting grass and weeds in between the ties to make some areas look over grown.
As for ballast on top of the ties, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Everywhere I look in the prototype world, I see copiuos amounts of ballast on the tracks. Except on a fast moving main line, but even then there is the odd speck or patch of it here and there. It doesn't mean I just spread the ballast on and forget it, I do spend a bit of time carefully brushing it where I want it to be and make sure it isn't plugging up my turnouts. The final step before applying any wetting agent or glue is that I lightly, (I mean, LIGHTLY!) tap the top of the rail heads with a rubber mallat. Sort of like a controlled bounce. The vibration helps shake any loose ballast off the tops of the ties and helps it settle.
The Doc Wayne method of wetting and gluing is the best. Like Wayne says, liberally wet the entire section of ballasted track with wet water solution. I use a spray bottle and add just two drop of dish soap. As Wayne suggested I mist the area by spraying the wet water over the area and let it fall like rain. Do this until its nice and wet and then have at 'er with the bottle aimed directly at the ballast to get it throughly wet. Mist it first otherwise the ballast will fly everywhere if you try and spray directly on it first. Final step I use a 50/50 mixture of plain ol' LePage white glue and tap water. I apply my glue with an Oral Syringe that came with some childrens cough syrup a few years ago. I fill up the syringe and then squeeze the plunger just enough to make the glue dribble out until its empty, refill and repeat. I soak the area with the glue until seeps out everywhere. 24 hours later it all dries clear and is as hard as cement. Almost.
Just my thoughts.
As for ballast on top of the ties, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Everywhere I look in the prototype world, I see copiuos amounts of ballast on the tracks. Except on a fast moving main line, but even then there is the odd speck or patch of it here and there. It doesn't mean I just spread the ballast on and forget it, I do spend a bit of time carefully brushing it where I want it to be and make sure it isn't plugging up my turnouts. The final step before applying any wetting agent or glue is that I lightly, (I mean, LIGHTLY!) tap the top of the rail heads with a rubber mallat. Sort of like a controlled bounce. The vibration helps shake any loose ballast off the tops of the ties and helps it settle.
The Doc Wayne method of wetting and gluing is the best. Like Wayne says, liberally wet the entire section of ballasted track with wet water solution. I use a spray bottle and add just two drop of dish soap. As Wayne suggested I mist the area by spraying the wet water over the area and let it fall like rain. Do this until its nice and wet and then have at 'er with the bottle aimed directly at the ballast to get it throughly wet. Mist it first otherwise the ballast will fly everywhere if you try and spray directly on it first. Final step I use a 50/50 mixture of plain ol' LePage white glue and tap water. I apply my glue with an Oral Syringe that came with some childrens cough syrup a few years ago. I fill up the syringe and then squeeze the plunger just enough to make the glue dribble out until its empty, refill and repeat. I soak the area with the glue until seeps out everywhere. 24 hours later it all dries clear and is as hard as cement. Almost.
Just my thoughts.