Ballasting

Wondered about that, suspect its cos track in contact with ballast makes good sound board. If could keep them seperate in some way - no dont know how, then vibration of track might not carry.

Real granite is to coarse grained for correct texture, average crystal size > 1mm, so would appear as large stones of one mineral (ignore pegmatites as rare used as ballast). Need the medium to fine grained equivalent, without checking texts would be somewhere between dolerite and rhyolite. Colours can be black and white, or nice red/pink granite from Shap :-)

Cheers, Simon

Well the last time I laid ballast it was on 1/8th inch cork over a 3/4 inch MDF board with conventional open 2x1 and 2x2 inch framing supported every 12 inches 44 inches from a concrete garage floor ... running a long train could sound like a bloody machine gun at times.

I used a combination of stuff nominally scalled for OO and N, the N looked a lot better on a OO layout and looked a lot closer to scale but of course although I do confess to owning several micrometers I do tend to ajust things with a big hammer :-)

Supposedly, matte medium is quieter than white glue because it doesn't dry as rigid, but I've never done a comparison test so it may or may not be so. I can't think the difference would be major.

I'd heard that to, copydex as well remains elastic (but smelling of cats) but I was thinking of using something else for my next layout instead of granite, somthing softer.

IIRC, there was quite a discussion a while back on noise control. I don't remember if it was here or on one of the Yahoo groups like layout construction.

Seems the main conclusion reached was that the track/roadbed needed to be decoupled from the benchwork. But I don't think anyone came up with a satisfactory way to do that.

Iain Rice's track building book described a scheme for "floating" track.

MBQ

There were many attempts to reduce noise back in the 60s and 70s, reported both in the commercial press, and in the NMRA Bulletin. My main conclusion: sound is amplified when surfaces are free to move. Thus:

a) Solid-top baseboards are like sounding boards --> use open grid bases. b) Track nails and the like can couple ballast strip and sectional or flex track to the sub-roadbed/baseboard --> glue ballast strip to sub-roadbed, and track to ballast strip, using pins merely to hold it while the glue sets. c) The mass of the track structure affects its ability to act as a sounding board --> use 1/2" or heavier sub-roadbed. Fasten solidly to grid at frequent intervals, thus making the grid part of the mass that the sound generator (the motor in the engine) must move.

I've also noticed that as scenery is added to a layout, it tends to become quieter.

What's needed an inefficient sound transmitter linking track to base. That means both soft materials, such as cork, and flexible glues, such a silicone bathroom caulking.

HTH Wolf K.

I use an 8:1 mix of PVA bought by the gallon from a builders' merchant, and water. The obligatory British Standard Drop of washing up liquid is added off course. I make up stock, 0.5l at a time, it lasts a couple of months without settling out if kept in a closed container (I use a plastic milk bottle).

Before adding glue, I recommend spraying the dry ballast with a mist of "wet water" (water plus a drop of washing up liquid). I bought an atomising spray from Hobbycraft which is good for this, it holds 125ml of water, you pump it with the lid, and then spray. A squirter of the type used for spraying domestic cleaners and such won't be much good, the drops are too big and disturb the ballast. You need a fine mist.

I then use a dropper or for longer runs (which most of mine are, given the size of my layout) a bottle with a very fine tip. Drop close to the rails, again to avoid disturbing the ballast. You can fix minor dislodged bits with a stainless clay moulding tool dipped in water.

Actually the way I do it starts by painting the baseboard with black Gesso, then PVA, add a thin layer of ballast well pressed down, apply wet water and thinned down glue and allow to dry. This base layer of ballast stops the dry ballast from flowing away from the tracks as you place it.

Then I add the main ballast, and use a children's sponge paintbrush to brush off the sleepers, and a stiff stippling brush to clear it away from the chairs. The result is usually pretty good. It took me a while to get to this technique, with some of the older bits it took ages to get the ballast off the sleepers. Guy

My last layout had to be stong enough to stand on in order to reach shelves above it :-)

Rigid foam insulation rather than wood under the roadbed... Eg replace the 'traditional' sheet of plywood (which is an excelent sounding board) with a sheet of foam insulation (which "sucks" as a sounding board).

Thanks all for the tips on PVA glue and mixture, starting to get the hang of it.

Now I am deep into PVA and ballast, whats the easiest/cleanest way to remove the PVA from the rails after its dry? I know you can use emery paper (fine), any other solvents/solutions or mixtures you recommend or suggest?

First up, do it before it dries! A damp cloth wound round the fingers so it doesn't dangle and brush the ballast away, rubbed along the rail heads, keeps them clean.

If it has dried on the rails I use a Stanley knife blade or a scalpel to slice it off.

A bit on the rail sides is not such a problem as long as the glue was well dilutes - if it is blobby then pick it off with tweezers, but a thin layer of thinned white glue on the sides will just make weathering easier. Guy

A piece of soft pine rubbed/slid along the rails will sorta peel off the semi-dried stuff. Hold it at an angle. "Sharpen" it once in a while.

HTH Wolf K.

Noooooooooo! Never use anything abrasive to clean the rails, despite what Peco will sell you.

Don't let it happen in the first place. If that's difficult then use artist's masking fluid.

MBQ

Noooooooooo! Never use anything abrasive to clean the rails, despite what Peco will sell you.

Don't let it happen in the first place. If that's difficult then use artist's masking fluid.

MBQ

================================== As many opinions as replies, this being another of the great debates. Peco rail cleaner myself, followed by kitchen roll - thats after you've removed the blobs. Continue to use as and when.

Cheers, Simon

I have also in the past used a rectangle of offcut Sundeala soaked in Carr's railclean and rubbed firmly up and down the rails. Guy

Don't think thats a good idea, that sort of oil should be kept away from anything to do with model railways. Will also get your tracks/wheels to hold on to every bit of dust available. Dust giving poor conduction, sparks, carbon etc etc.

Cheers, Simon