Kato Ballast

[Bfagan]

Can anyone tell me how to make Kato ballast as the Kato bags are really expensive.

Bill

[Robert_56]

Look here, maybe it is what you are looking for; http://thomas.tuerke.net/on/mrr/?thread=1289869264

[learmoia]

Great article... To me, that 1:1:9 ratio looks better than 1:1:5
Both ratios look better than Kato's ballast..

To me.. the black overpowers the white a bit.. (you may consider a 1:3:9 (B:W:G) ratio...)

You could stand to bump up the Gray even more too.

[ncbqguy]

At one time Kato actually had Woodland Scenics blend and package a matching ballast.   Don’t know when or why they stopped using WS.
Charlie Vlk

[robert3985]

At one time Kato actually had Woodland Scenics blend and package a matching ballast.   Don’t know when or why they stopped using WS.
Charlie Vlk

Maybe they didn't like walnut shells...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[keeper]

Look here, maybe it is what you are looking for; http://thomas.tuerke.net/on/mrr/?thread=1289869264

This is what I do and I'm very pleased.

[Dave V]

Resurrecting a dead thread on ballasting Unitrack.

In the past I've blended my Unitrack with Woodland Scenics fine gray blend.I actually have a ton on hand and was ready to use it for my T-TRAK project.

But I had a second thought. Do any of the Scenic Express colors match Kato ballast closely?

My plan is to ballast mainly just the shoulder. Weathering will tie the grays together so some slight variation is OK. I'm wondering if the Scenic Express light gray ballast or gray blend ballast (#50 is finer that WS fine) match the Unitrack roadbed fairly well:

https://www.sceneryexpress.com/N-HO-O-Natural-Stone/products/1107/1/0

[Dave V]

Bump!

[Point353]

Resurrecting a dead thread on ballasting Unitrack.

In the past I've blended my Unitrack with Woodland Scenics fine gray blend.I actually have a ton on hand and was ready to use it for my T-TRAK project.

But I had a second thought. Do any of the Scenic Express colors match Kato ballast closely?

My plan is to ballast mainly just the shoulder. Weathering will tie the grays together so some slight variation is OK. I'm wondering if the Scenic Express light gray ballast or gray blend ballast (#50 is finer that WS fine) match the Unitrack roadbed fairly well:

https://www.sceneryexpress.com/N-HO-O-Natural-Stone/products/1107/1/0

Alternatively, you could decide upon which ballast you would prefer to use, then paint the track overall to match.
Follow that by painting the ties (and sides of the rails) in whatever color(s) you would like them to be.
Finally, weather everything as you see fit.

Perhaps make test pieces of track using each technique and see which one better achieves the results you seek.

[Dave V]

Alternatively, you could decide upon which ballast you would prefer to use, then paint the track overall to match.
Follow that by painting the ties (and sides of the rails) in whatever color(s) you would like them to be.
Finally, weather everything as you see fit.

Perhaps make test pieces of track using each technique and see which one better achieves the results you seek.

Not what I want to do but thanks anyway. Weathering will help tie everything together but I have no interest at present in painting the Kato roadbed; only the rails and ties.

Woodland Scenics gray blend is a very close match, but I'd rather use Scenic Express. So maybe another question to ask is which color of Scenic Express ballast is a close match to Woodland Scenics gray blend?

[mu26aeh]

Here is #50 blended



Here is #50 light grey

[Mark5]

Bump!

I know that the OP thinks the Kato stuff is expensive, but have you re-considered Kato's ballast?

https://midwestmodelrr.com/kat24-039/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt9zoq72FigMVEkZHAR30rgF3EAQYBiABEgKOs_D_BwE

[brill27mcb]

My memory is that Kato uses a custom blend from Woodland Scenics specially designed to match their cast roadbed ballast.

Rich K.

[Mark5]

My memory is that Kato uses a custom blend from Woodland Scenics specially designed to match their cast roadbed ballast.

Walthers claims that is made from pulverized limestone:

https://www.walthers.com/limestone-ballast-unitrack-matches-unitrack-roadbed-7oz-200g?srsltid=AfmBOooL6IN4WiB_t04Zzr7AjzYHPQwotuhmVCKVyKy5eA55Hb1hQBbC

[Dave V]

@mu26aeh,

Looks like the light gray is the winner!

Thanks so much!

@brill27mcb ,

I saw some stuff suggesting that some of the Kato ballast is translucent…