Whats the best track ballast for N scale?

[robert3985]

Actually, for U.P. Mainline stone sizes, and, maybe other mainlines too, the best sieve sizes to get would be:

Large - No. 40 (420 or 424 microns) or 0.0165" openings...or 2.64"

Small - No. 45 (355 microns) or 0.0135" openings...or 2.16"

For my "sieves", I bought sturdy stainless steel screen, made my own sieves out of scrap dimensional lumber (premium pine boards), glued & screwed it all together because it's a helluva lot cheaper if you've got some basic woodworking skills & tools.

Here's some No. 40 SS screen material pre-cut at 11" X 14" on Amazon for $6.99 (free shipping)...
https://www.amazon.com/28cmX36cm-Sturdy-Sheets-Projects-Stainless/dp/B097JR8JJ2/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WSz5-s2v1sN4gy9yswNQh18MbDpJq85hz9mI0sRE_49zJ8TSxz0WoknU0egl43lsb0iQihPHutotr_7qaq_o3hGJgu8zUQzucF0ZtKwG89rxx7EBshXQc6YLL_c5tRW4tCfsSQ1i22rPxEM35az8N0eWSbDEa_RXtrvGn16EsV4xv_ESC6093fXsp6xfcjQQR5Wbe-qweFJy5e_nGf287QfTXULZRcGHk173qdvCObo.Gq91marsgtYbmq6zHCP1iOrPzp4b_db42j5vzEsLg84&dib_tag=se&hvadid=490790392442&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9021712&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1057781349932142046&hvtargid=kwd-1123009829276&hydadcr=7442_9611317&keywords=stainless%2Bsteel%2B40%2Bmesh%2Bscreen&qid=1722923092&sr=8-3&th=1

I'm sure that No. 45 mesh screen is also available, but I don't have time to search.

Or, go with the used Standard Testing Sieves, which can be found at a good price too, depending on condition.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[mu26aeh]

Last I heard, owner of ARM is not in good health.  So, if you need it......

[ridinshotgun]

Last I heard, owner of ARM is not in good health.  So, if you need it......

He's not involved in the business any longer, and hasn't been for a while, due to those health issues.  Supposedly family is running it now.

[MK]

Isn't his so running the business now?  I think there was a presentation by him in a past Zoom Rail session.

[reinhardtjh]

Just another data point.  I ordered 15lb of various ARM ballast on Oct 16th and it shipped Oct 30th and is due to be delivered by USPS on Nov 2nd.

The front page of their web site says 41 days but mine was much quicker.

I also got my #40 and #45 Standard Testing Sieves from Ebay so I'm interested to see how much of this get sifted out as too small or too large.

[PanAmShay]

I second Arizona Rock & Minerals.
As any long time N Scaler knows…you buy it when it’s available.
I have a sh!t load of it, suited to my needs.

Hi Bryan, I was looking for pictures of AR&M ballast.  Do you happen to recall which of their ballast is in this picture of yours?  Did you do any screening for size?

-Andrew

[robert3985]

@PanAmShay - Andrew, this is a photo of a section of my late friend Nate Goodman's layout most of which I built for him.  He insisted on using Atlas/Peco Code80 track, so I used the same track painting/weathering/ballasting/weathering as I do on my home layout with Rail Craft Code55/Code40 and handlaid turnouts and Code40 trackage...except I use my stash of Highball Ballast I hoarded away years ago.

On Nate's layout, I used AR&M N-scale ballast and I didn't grade it like I do mine, so this has some larger rocks in it that mine doesn't.  However, I was surprised at how similar it looks to my Highball Ballast, after I've graded it down to true UP ballast rock size.

Photo (1) - AR&M Not-Graded Ballast on Nate Goodman's Riverside area on his layout:


Photo (2) - AR&M Not-Graded Ballast (Cinders) at Branchline Yard on Nate Goodman's layout:


I found on Nate's layout, that the AR&M ballast needed screening to get rid of dust...which it had a lot of.  It appears this problem isn't universal and varies from batch to batch...but, it's something to look out for because too much dust turns ballast into what looks like concrete.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[PanAmShay]

Thanks Bob!  I just ordered some various AR&M n scale ballast as well as some #40 and #50 sieves.  Maybe a #45 is needed too, we'll see how it turns out.

[BuddyBorders]

I've been studying this thread after I put down some AR&M ballast and discovered about the dust issue. I found some reasonably priced sieves on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D45FRDM8?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
is what I purchased. I was surprised at the amount of fines I got after sifting. Probably around a third of the product went through the screen. But they won't go to waste I'm sure.

Regards,
Buddy

[PanAmShay]

Nice find on the Amazon sieves Buddy.  I just picked up a brass #40 and #50 for about 50% more--would have gone with these had I known.

With the #40 and #50, I sifted several different AR&M ballasts into three grades:
Coarse (didn't pass thru the #40): looks a little big for n scale ballast
Medium (passed thru 40, but not 50): Looks good for n scale ballast
Fines (passed thru both): this is closer to the powder I think, fine for industrial areas. 

What was interesting was that some of the colors ordered were a pretty even mix of all three grades: 1121, 1331, for example.
Others were about 20% medium and 80% fines: 1231, 2011, and 1511.  this was sort of disappointing to get such a low yield.   I was planning to mix 50/50 of the medium and fines for a industry yard siding.

The medium and coarse mixed together also seemed pretty good for ballast, especially main line.

[Jesse6669]

Nice find on the Amazon sieves Buddy.  I just picked up a brass #40 and #50 for about 50% more--would have gone with these had I known.

With the #40 and #50, I sifted several different AR&M ballasts into three grades:
Coarse (didn't pass thru the #40): looks a little big for n scale ballast
Medium (passed thru 40, but not 50): Looks good for n scale ballast
Fines (passed thru both): this is closer to the powder I think, fine for industrial areas. 

What was interesting was that some of the colors ordered were a pretty even mix of all three grades: 1121, 1331, for example.
Others were about 20% medium and 80% fines: 1231, 2011, and 1511.  this was sort of disappointing to get such a low yield.   I was planning to mix 50/50 of the medium and fines for a industry yard siding.

The medium and coarse mixed together also seemed pretty good for ballast, especially main line.

I'm also in the AR&M camp, but I model in Z--I buy the N scale ballast and use a 60 mesh to get the too-large chunks.  And a 100 to then catch the dust.  Also got the stainless LVDA lab 304 sieves.