Ballast Mix

F

Fortkentdad

Registered
Finally getting around to building my garden railway - have had a starter kit and some track collecting dust for a few years (well decades but who's counting?).

Anyway, I have a small plot of garden to work with and have laid out my track to see how my track plan fits in real life.

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What I have in mind is to dig out a trench about six inches wide (coincidentally the width of my spade) and a few (3 -5" deep). I'll lay down some weed barrier garden fabric and then back fill with clean sand - about half filling the trench. Then I'll top it off with ballast.

I'm not sure what to use for ballast. I bought a 25kg (55#) bag of #2 Silica Grit (which I think is also known as chicken grit) to see how it looks - and how far a back goes (its $13.00/bag so I'm hoping to get a few linear feet per bag). I read one man's website about mixing gravel, sand and cement to help the ballast hold. I also hear that using cement is a bad idea due to the problems of contraction and expansion with heat and cold. I live in Northern Alberta where winter runs from October through April and temps drop down to 40° C below. I can buy "screenings" which I think are called crusher fines in other places. I can also buy "decorative' .75" gravel. I'm thinking .75" is too big in G Scale that would make the stones about 18" in scale. Screenings are dusty but finer.

SO - what to do about the ballast.

Grit + Sand + Cement? And if so, what ratio of cement to sand & grit? If I only use a little cement it will not set like concrete but hopefully will give my grit and sand a bit of hold.

Just Grit? Grit & Sand? Screenings? Just not sure what to use. Maybe just sand? I have enough clean sand.

Anyone else out there garden railroading in a cold climate?
 
Screenings/crusher dust is good, it packs down and sort of holds itself together. I used some and mixed a very small amount of cement with it, not enough to make it into concrete but enough to "stabilise' it. Say to a wheelbarrow load a 3 good mugfulls of cement. Only mix enough to use at a time, mix it dry, spread it, level it and leave it for a rainshower or give it a gentle sprinkle with a hose and leave it for a day or so before laying track on it.... Outdoors in an extreme climate it will work well.
 
I've used fines and also chicken grit held together with diluted PVA. However, I've also used this:
http://www.locomotionworks.com/ballast_instructions.php < Link To http://www.locomotionwork...llast_instructions.php

He provides both ballast with bonding material, or just the bonding medium for you to mix with your ballast.

It's worked well for me standing up to tropical storms, high temperatures and humidity and the odd freeze. Some does wash away, but in general it's pretty stable.

No connection with the producer, just a satisfied customer.
 
You might try Horticultural Grit - if it is available in your neck of the woods!
 
I have never seemed to get ballasting right, I always think I have got the best, and then I notice something else. I have used quite a lot of small granite chips, as has been pointed out away back, these tend to settle down over a period of time and sort of lock together. However, only yesterday I laid this metre or so of ballast, just because I rather like the look of it. Whether this smooth contoured pebble will stay in place only time will tell.
Incidentally, your layout bears quite a similarity to mine, in design and dimension at least. It looks as though you might have a bit of difficulty in getting two complete circles, which is my problem. I have a very tight 180 degree curve at one end which will just not accept a parallel line, and big locos of course are not on. Whatever, I enjoy what I've got. I look forward to seeing your line's development, keep the pics coming, we love that, don't we, guys!!!!!!!!

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I am not sure if ordinary sand is a good base material, or even "sharp" sand. In all probability your balasted track will sink into it over time. If laying a floating track on the ground (as is mine) most people use a crushed rubble or bricks as a base. Or even go with granite chipping throughout. Anything angular "blocky" but not rounded, like pea shingle or gravel, will do as a base material or as ballast. A good idea would be to use lawn edging (metal or plastic) along the sides of your trough to stop the ballast running away, even though you plan to use a cement mix.

There might be a little problem with terminology as you are over the other side of the pond. Granite chippings/horticultural grit - sub 10mm size (rated around 6mm) sharp edged "rocks". In the UK we pay anywhere between £1.00p and £2.50p per 20 kg sack. Try and go direct to an aggregates distributor if you can, for best prices. I use about 40 kg each year on my 35 metres of track just "topping up" and dealing with suff that has run away, but I've got great drainage to the soil around my track:bigsmile:. You will find a track laid this way will settle over time - mine's been down for 7 years.

Max.
 
I would make your trench wider than six inches - maybe 9 inches or even a foot. Lineside planting will always encroach over time. If you happen to have any old carpet you want to get rid of it will make a very good weed barrier - just cut it in strips and lay it in the trench - much more durable and effective than most of the stuff sold for the purpose, as any allotment holder will testify.
 
We used 'golden grit' from kelkay (http://www.kelkay.com/product/golden-grit/36/ ) straight from the bag.
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usually this is a 4-for3 deal at our local garden centre. this lightens up from the picture on their website as the dust washes away with only a few weeks of British summer. We tried a few others but this one is small enough to get between the sleepers and give a finish we like.

Craig
 
I've laid my gravel (sharp shingle) loose, with out any cement or PVA, just as it would be with the real railway.

Works for me....
 
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