Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
Ballasting Tips From Ben
Ben has sent in these suggestions for giving ballast a realistic look:
Be careful when applying ballast if you want to avoid track damage or poor running of trains. To get a tidy finish take your time ballasting and revisit areas as the adhesive dries to ensure a good, clean finish.
You can then add general grime and oil marks (using an airbrush), over the ballast, to make it look like trains have used the track.
Oil stains would be deposited from standing locomotives and general grime would accumulate, in different amounts, in certain areas over time.
Use your airbrush lightly to add the appearance of track grime over most of the ballasted area. Then apply a heavier application on where more dirt may accumulate.
I usually blend several ballast colors together, to make it look authentic, rather than just a plain gray mix. Use a quality ballast, like Woodland Scenics, and be sure to choose the right grain size (fine ballast for N gauge, medium ballast for HO/OO and coarse ballast for O).
I then wait for the airbrushed grime to dry properly before I weather the rail faces with a rust paint. I then wait for the paint to thoroughly dry before cleaning.
Send in your best model train tip and have it publish. Go to http://www.model-railroad-resources.com/train-tips.html
One Response to Ballasting Tips From Ben
Leave a Reply
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Download Your Free Catalog
Use Tiny Railroad Micro Controllers
Model Train Help Ebook
Hi Robert
How do you paint your rails after you have painted the ballast? Do you use a small paint brush?
Also, do you cover the rails before painting the ballast with an airbrush ?
Cheers
Shelton.