Ballasting Track Help Required

[Tizaker]

Hi All,
Any suggestions on how to secure ballast on raised levels of track which have fall offs on both sides? Cement, PVA glue or special mixture, any help much appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saY1K2Mg4Mw
http://youtu.be/EcU1Sn-xL2g

 

[robsmorgan]

I use 40/60 = economy from Screwfix PVA/water which holds the track in situ and resists the weather here as well..... also have the benefit of using beach gravel sieved to 2-3mm (drilled lots of 3mm holes into an icecream container to do the selecting!)

Rob

 

[Madman]

The suggestion of Glue, is probably the simplest and best solution. Another idea, although a bit more work, would be to install Dams on each side of the track. Strips of wood or plastic, or some other material that can be had at a reasonable cost. These can be 1/2" square strips. They would have to be fastened to the roadbed base with adhesive or screws.

The only downside, to me, of gluing ballast is future changes you may want to make.

 

[robsmorgan]

p.s........
I have revised my track route(s) a number of times and can confirm you will need to gently scrape ballast away from sleepers/ties, then after lifting track even chisel away the unwanted ballast before altering the plan. But it is straight forward and I still recommend it.

Rob

 

[minimans]

PVA glue 40/60 water and a couple of drops of washing up liquid and sprinkle it on when you've got the ballest set where you want it. Use one of those squirt bottles like a window cleaner comes in..

 

[garrymartin]

I used a mixture of 4 parts horticultural grit, 1 part sharp sand and 1 part cement , it is still in situ but is becoming a little brittle in places, I was going "repair " it a little this spring but the weather was so bad I never got the chance.
I previously used a mix of my ballast material and cement which I then wetted to activate the cement, but this got washed off the raised areas by a torrential downpour, the current method has stood up to the weather well.
http://www.gscalecentral.net/The-view-from-Hedgebottom-m187884-p2 Edit to add link to some pictures