Folks,

I am starting to get a handle on scenery, but I am still a novice in comparison to those here. One situation I have concerns roadbed. As you may recall, I use Fastrack but also mix in Gargraves and Atlas. I am using the Gargraves and Atlas mostly in yards. I installed all of the Atlas and Gargraves on Midwest Cork roadbed to match the rail height with the Fastrack. My problem is that when I ballast this in the yards, the track seems too high. Do some of you skip the roadbed in the yards? Otherwise, do you raise the level of the ground around the roadbed? How do you do that? I know I am missing something here, just not sure what.

Thanks,

George

I changed my post since I reread your question a couple more times. If I'm understanding your question correctly you don't like the look of the yard tracks being at the same height as the mainlines. I use Atlas track on cork for my mainlines and Atlas track on the plywood for my yard and sidings. The thing you need to do is make sure that the transition from cork to plywood does not happen at a switch, you don't want the switch to twist. I support the switch and about 1/4 to 1/2 of the next piece of track. If you want to raise the ground around the track you could use 1/4" foamcore that you can get at the craft store.

Gene Anstine

quote:

Originally posted by grfd59:
What do mean by seems to high? Uses a lot of ballast or something else. I use Atlas track on cork for my mainlines and Atlas track on the plywood for yards and sidings. If it uses to much ballast, some people use sand first to fill the ties then put ballast over top. Me, I just use ballast to the top of the ties.

Gene Anstine

Hi Gene,

This starts to answer my question and confirms what I expected. I am not very concerned with using too much ballast but appreciate the idea of sand. I really was thinking more about mainline versus yard track. The roadbed looks right on the main lines, but not in the yard. Are there other ways to deal with the yard area than removing the cork or is that my best approach?

George

See my edited post above. I was editing as you answered. Another way to make it different is to change the color of the ballast. I also did that. I went, what I consider, the wrong way. I went lighter and I really think I should have went darker because the yard is not as well maintained.

Gene

George, I wanted the track on my coaaling tower module to have the look that, I think, you are trying for. In other words, the delivery track has a lower profile and will be almost buried in the dirt as apposed to the mainline track sitting higher and well ballasted. I mounted the mainline, in front of the towers on cork, the delivery track is mounted directly to the plywood. I then used artist foamboard up to the ties and in between the two tracks. So the ground level is about level with the top of the ties. this is the best photo I could find to demonstrate. Of course, it's not yet finished.

Thanks again Gene!

Looks good Vulcan and brings up another good point. I need to consider how much I want the yard to look "buried in the dirt". Thanks.

George

Pictures are always better then me trying to explain it. Thanks Vulcan. That module looks nice.

Gene

Thanks, Gene. Pure coincidence, you were editing as I was posting.

I notice that many sidings are lower than the mainline. I imagine that is to prevent a loose car from rolling onto the track. It might be a little difficult to see in this image but the sidings are 1/2" lower than where they split from the mainline. I used roadbed under all the track.



Rand

Siding track is lower, also, because of the different rail weight, something we are limited by in 3-rail. So we become illusionist.

You might also want to consider sheet cork under the yard.

That way the actual rail height can be the same as the mainline, avoiding the little grade between the mainline and the yard and allowing the mainline to have the nicely sloped ballast and the yard to have the "partially buried ties" look.

quote:

Originally posted by Pat Marinari:
You might also want to consider sheet cork under the yard.

That way the actual rail height can be the same as the mainline, avoiding the little grade between the mainline and the yard and allowing the mainline to have the nicely sloped ballast and the yard to have the "partially buried ties" look.

Pat,

I like this idea, since I already laid the track and was trying to figure out transitions. Where is a good place to get cork sheets? Could I use foam core board under the track instead?

George

George, you can buy a roll of sheet cork at Lowe's. At least around here.

I went the foam board route to build up the space between the yard tracks (cheaper than ballast) and then use cinder colored ballast in that area. Here's a few shots as it progressed.

That looks great Dean! The pictures of the progress are very helpful. |You really achieved the buried look.

What type of ballast is that? I am still trying to choose from all the different varieties.

Vulcan, thanks for the tip on Lowes. They carry a few things that Home Depot doesn't. I plan to get my thin MDF sheets there for my table valences.

George

I'm sure Deang will answer but I'm going to jump in here. He's using Brennan's Better Ballast. The dark stuff is my Yard ballast blend.

Looking good, Dean

Dennis Brennan
Brennan's Model Railroading Products

Well done Dean.

Different colored balasted was used in the HO V&O for the visual effect.