Loco depot expansion

[DaveG]

It occurred to us today that our loco depot might be a bit crowded, especially since the arrival of the Baldwin last year so courtesy of a spare LH point, it was expanded today.
First is the "Before" picture. 2 roads available.

 

[DaveG]

And then, after a bit of sluing, we end up with this. The coal state is in for a bit of TLC after some damage to hand rails and the jib lifting cables. Finally got round to repairing them but there are so many other things to do.

One job today was to lay out where the inner circuit is going to run, and after the purchase of some Aristocraft curves, I nearly have sufficient track to complete the inner as well as the outer circuit. Just a few more straights needed and then in due course I can start on the branch line down the side passage.

But I digress - here is the enlarged depot facility and coal stage will be back in place tomorrow.



I would like to bed the track into something in the depot area to give the impression of cinder or ash ballast - does anyone have any good suggestions as to how this effect might be achieved?

I had wondered about mixing some mortar and ballast and spraying it with water - but it wouldn't have the right colour and quite possibly the right texture.

The adjacent main lines will be conventionally ballasted but I'd like a different look in the yard.

 

[dunnyrail]

You could follow your plan (but use sharpe sand) then paint with some Matt Black Spray Can, works just fine and lasts well on such surfaces.

 

[DaveG]

Thanks Jon. I have some sand so I'll give that a go.

And now, to move off my own topic, the route to the high level passing station progressed further this week.
So it can get back to garden level near the back of the house, the station is on a grade as will be the line beyond the loop alongside the fence.