07-31-2022, 05:12 AM
Thanks Tom. I wouldn't say that it takes any mad skill to handlay track, just patience. As far as I know I'm the only one of my circles of Modellers that hand lays and I pretty much taught myself after reading a few articles on the subject.
I've been thinking of ballast. In the past I've ballasted the mainline in shades of gray, and the yards in browns. However, looking at photos and Google Earth Satellite pictures, most yards are ballasted in the same gray as the mainline. The yards can be a different gray in places due to the fact that cars and engines are parked there and will stain and re-color the ballast over time.
On the right is Woodland Scenics Gray blend ballast, on the left is their gray. I'm using the gray blend on my mainline and passing sidings. I think I'll go with the gray, which is slightly darker, for the yards and sidings. I have already ballasted part of my stamp mill/ logging spur with the brown ballast but I figure that will be okay as that was probably built at a different time with rock from either leftover mining debris or a different quarry on that spur.
I've been thinking of ballast. In the past I've ballasted the mainline in shades of gray, and the yards in browns. However, looking at photos and Google Earth Satellite pictures, most yards are ballasted in the same gray as the mainline. The yards can be a different gray in places due to the fact that cars and engines are parked there and will stain and re-color the ballast over time.
On the right is Woodland Scenics Gray blend ballast, on the left is their gray. I'm using the gray blend on my mainline and passing sidings. I think I'll go with the gray, which is slightly darker, for the yards and sidings. I have already ballasted part of my stamp mill/ logging spur with the brown ballast but I figure that will be okay as that was probably built at a different time with rock from either leftover mining debris or a different quarry on that spur.