01-22-2016, 09:02 PM
Reinhard,
I was trying to figure out how to achieve this look without creating a giant pain in the a** for myself later. I was looking at a few things as to how to achieve this and I looked around at my available tools. I had been checking the gauge of a few switches using my NMRA gauge and a Micro Engineering track gauge, looking at them I had a moment of inspiration.
I placed the ballast on the track and using my fingers spread out the material as evenly as possible. I then used the NMRA gauge as a regulator using the switch gauge section between the rails, this side has the three prongs on it for checking gauges of switches and frogs. After a few passes over the track less and less ballast was being plowed out of the way. I then flipped the gauge over to the track gauge part and made sure it cleared the track. I also found that this set the track level just slightly higher then the ballast. I then wetted the ballast using a misting spray bottle to keep the ballast from moving, which further settled the ballast below the track level. This was then secured with a 50:50 mix of white glue and water. I ran a couple of cars over the track today and have a few spots I need to dig out with a dental pick, but it is very minimal.
I was trying to figure out how to achieve this look without creating a giant pain in the a** for myself later. I was looking at a few things as to how to achieve this and I looked around at my available tools. I had been checking the gauge of a few switches using my NMRA gauge and a Micro Engineering track gauge, looking at them I had a moment of inspiration.
I placed the ballast on the track and using my fingers spread out the material as evenly as possible. I then used the NMRA gauge as a regulator using the switch gauge section between the rails, this side has the three prongs on it for checking gauges of switches and frogs. After a few passes over the track less and less ballast was being plowed out of the way. I then flipped the gauge over to the track gauge part and made sure it cleared the track. I also found that this set the track level just slightly higher then the ballast. I then wetted the ballast using a misting spray bottle to keep the ballast from moving, which further settled the ballast below the track level. This was then secured with a 50:50 mix of white glue and water. I ran a couple of cars over the track today and have a few spots I need to dig out with a dental pick, but it is very minimal.