Ballast

[mike_lawyer]

On my last layout, I used Scenery Express ballast and really liked it.  It seemed to be real stone to me.

[Chris333]

That is from 2018 and the link I posted was from 2020. I have no idea if they are still in business.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've used Sanded Grout on the old layout.
https://conrail1285.com/n-scale-ballast-using-sanded-grout/

It was good. But as that other thread indicates, I'm looking for other options as well.

[GaryHinshaw]

The last contact I had with Smith & Son (& Son) was a purchase from the grandson, Paul Burger, in Feb 2020, just before the pandemic.  Here is the contact info that was valid at the time:

Paul Burger
----- Plank Rd
Montville, Ohio 44064
smithandsonsballast@yahoo.com

It may be a black hole by now.

Edited to remove street address.  PM me if you want to write to him.

[nkalanaga]

I would be very careful with beach sand.  If it has any salt in it, the corrosion will be disastrous!

Living in southeast Washington, I used sand for scenery, as the local sand was free.  It also has a lot of iron, so running a magnet through it wouldn't be a bad idea.  I just glued it very well!

A couple years before moving to Kentucky, we drove to Florida.  I picked up some nice, dry, white beach sand.  I then used it for ballast on a yard display, with hand-spiked track.  After a year in the local desert environment, the track was falling apart, as the spikes had rusted through!

Of course, if it's a fresh-water beach, no problem.  I've used various river sands with no problems.

[Atsf222]

I don’t care for woodlands stuff seems large for N scale, I’ve used ARM on three occasions now but the wait on orders is tough at times.

[DeltaBravo]

I'm using Scenic Express, it is real rock and looks great. My only issue is getting it, shipping is crazy expensive and very few local stores carry it for the same reason.

[robert3985]

Ballast.  I used ARM and Highball when working on Nate's layout way back when, mixing them to get the right colors. 

Unfortunately Highball Ballast has been out of business for a long time. 

Fortunately, I bought a big stash of it when it was available, and it's what I use after I grade it to get rid of the dust and big grains. 

If I found it necessary to buy ballast now, I would probably go with ARM and Scenic Express...and still grade it to get the correct stone size and de-dust it, especially the ARM ballast.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[signalmaintainer]

I would be very careful with beach sand.  If it has any salt in it, the corrosion will be disastrous!

Living in southeast Washington, I used sand for scenery, as the local sand was free.  It also has a lot of iron, so running a magnet through it wouldn't be a bad idea.  I just glued it very well!

All of mine came from the salty shores of Commencement Bay. It's been down for almost a decade. No problems all at.

[Dwight in Toronto]

Based on the poop voiced here, just picked up some Scenic Express ballast.  The fellow at the hobby shop expressed a personal preference for Scenic Express over WS, but advised that I pass all of the material over a magnet before using.

Being crushed rock, there’s always a chance that there could be trace amounts of iron minerals which, in time, could  foul electric motors.  Seems like a sensible precaution to me, it’s easy enough to do, and one would certainly know in pretty short order if the magnet is extracting any detrimental stuff.  Just out of curiosity, I’ll give it a try. 

[Maletrain]

FWIW, when I use a magnet to remove gritty stuff from something, I always put some cover like cling wrap around the magnet, first.  This allows me to peal off the grit when I am done.  Because, it isn't going to wash off, blow off, or even come off in a media tumbler - and scraping it off is not thorough at all.

[glenng6]

Maletrain,

Great tip and just in time for my layout. Thanks, Glenn

[nkalanaga]

signalmaintainer:  I'm glad it worked for you.  My experience is only one data point, and it may have been something about the way I used it.

On the other hand, I've been using Pasco sand for scenery for years, and the iron in it hasn't caused any problems.  There's enough that it could probably be mined with magnets.  The key  is that I glue it VERY solidly!  But I've personally heard from others that it didn't work for them, including a few modelers in Pasco.

[signalmaintainer]

signalmaintainer:  I'm glad it worked for you.  My experience is only one data point, and it may have been something about the way I used it.

On the other hand, I've been using Pasco sand for scenery for years, and the iron in it hasn't caused any problems.  There's enough that it could probably be mined with magnets.  The key  is that I glue it VERY solidly!  But I've personally heard from others that it didn't work for them, including a few modelers in Pasco.

I'd be concerned about radioactive isotopes in Pasco sand!

[John]

I'm using Scenic Express, it is real rock and looks great. My only issue is getting it, shipping is crazy expensive and very few local stores carry it for the same reason.

I was going to order a large bucket .. but the shipping was as much as the product .. I think I'm going to the stone store and get some granite dust to sift myself ..