I'm ballasting and scenicing my yard today. I can't really decide what looks better or more realistic so I figure I'd ask you guys: Option 1: Cinder ballast on top of "earth" ground foam. Does this earth color look to "bright" or light in color to you? Option 2: Cinder ballast on top of "soil" ground foam. My issue with Woodland Scenic "soil" is that it's pigment has a green tint. I expect black. Option 3: Cinder ballast between the tracks by itself. I would compliment the scene with either earth or soil ground foam between all the yard tracks I still can't decide if I want earth or soil in the yard. My initial goal was to try to "bury" the yard tracks somewhat so they looked sunk in to the ground, but after I tried that effect, I think I still need at leat a minimal amount of ballast somewhere
I usually just use ballast, most yards are just ballast and cinders ( dirt ), not much foilage unless they have been let go for a long time. Fine Cinders in between tracks and on the tracks unless I want it to look like it was just ballasted. I use fine in between because on the real thing regular ballast is hard for personnel to walk on. [ 05. July 2004, 23:22: Message edited by: NYC-BKO ]
I would go with the third one. Having worked in railroad yards for many years, I can tell you there is not many with anything but ballest! I would mix different sizes to make it more realistic.
heres a picture taken in a yard while switching. The access road to the left is very fine stone, and you can see piles of grain, sand, etc that could be added for detailing. Also, look at the spilled coal between the tracks which would be easy to add too.
Thanks a lot for the feedback. Interesting concept to use cinders in the whole yard. That just might be the ticket. I'll see how it looks.
OC ENGINEER JD, I notice in your photos there are no frog guard rails or either side. Those frogs must have the raised outside flanges to keep the wheels shoved away from the frog point. (I am guessing since the frogs are not too visible). Is this the kind of frogs they are using in today's yards or is this just peculiar to this one yard?
I can see guard rails that keep the wheels following the correct path in the frog. You have to look hard but they are there. Unless you are talking about something different. I'm talking about those guard rails on the opposite side of the tracks as the frog. Jas
I have decided to go with option 3 - Cinders in the whole yard. Will they pass as "dirt"? It looks pretty good to me but I haven't done the whole yard yet. Only about a third of it.
There is such thing as self guiding frogs, but they aren't used a whole lot. Enola Yard, near Harrisburg, Pa only has one that I know of. The switch in the pic does have gaurd rails, they are just hard to see. BTW, what yard is that and where is it?
Jason, all the options look good. You might want to check some of your photos of the area you are modelling, and see what ballast is used there - ie. you are a Rock fan, so check what coloured ballast they used, if that's the look you're after. The Rock The Rock Jon
