Ballasting and Trackside Infrastructures

Demonstration of ballasting my OO gauge track, in Part 2 of this video I’ll be looking at three Scale model scenery products - Catch pits, concrete lineside cable trunking and orange UTX trunking. I’ll also be looking at three Peco products - Dummy point motors, AWS ramps and TPWS grids.

[@LetsgooooTrump2024]

I've watched 9 videos with alot of views and I can guarantee this is the easiest, cleanest ballast layout I've seen. Thank you , thank you, thank you.

[@CymruRails]

Thank you so much for this helpful video. I’m nearing the time where I will ballast my own layout

[@richardstewart4135]

I have been balasting my own track since the 60's and I have to say using a spoon to tap on the track and clear the ballast from the ties (sleepers) is a great idea that I have not heard before. Well done.

[@jackphoton]

The ballast tamper is awesome!

[@robertravena]

Dude that Tamper is awesome!!

[@elleryparsons5766]

That is without the Cleanest Balasted Track I Have seen since I started Model Railroading. Well Done.

[@WickfieldLane]

Appreciate the comments Ellery 👍🏻

[@elleryparsons5766]

Not A Problem it’s A No Brainer Think About it then Apply it.

[@stevelaughton9866]

One of the better videos on laying ballast. Thanks mate

[@WickfieldLane]

Glad you like the video 👍🏻

[@carltonbirds]

Very lovely, and realistically better than the real thing 👍

[@elleryparsons5766]

The little Yellow track car Blew my mind And I Loved it That’s why I LOVE Model Railroading For Sure!

[@mrmarkle7088]

I just printed my self one of these ballist applicators for n scale. And man does it make a huge difference. Thanks for the idea.

[@VideoWorldWaterford]

You Just Got A New Subscriber! Super Layout Well Done!

[@WickfieldLane]

Thank you very much!

[@Dvdkar]

Thanks for the video I have found ballasting causes so many problems. Your video is very helpful 😊👍

[@tonywaldon7801]

Very nice from Miami Beach Florida, USA

[@dylansheppardmymodelrailway]

Great techniques 👍💯👍 enjoying watching your vids having a binge watch 👍

[@stmichaelshill7421]

Good work. Looking forward to the second part!

[@rc_farmer4866]

That is slick right there!! Great video!!

[@james2004k]

Nice and tidy work.

[@rwb73]

Very nice and easy to follow. Thank you

[@munteanucatalin9833]

The old way for ballasting tracks looks kinda nice... Your track bedding looks 8/10 which is quite good for ballasting track on cork.

[@mariogallardo2912]

Excelente trabajo , muy prolijo , muchas gracias por compartir saludos desde Argentina .

[@finnkay]

Really good video, thanks.

[@arturf209]

Bro, it's awesome

[@leswall6293]

Very good viewing and skill, I'm sure it be OK to leave some bits on the sleepers like in real life

[@Rwalt61]

That's what I was thinking too. Unless you're making a section of track that was just laid or replaced you're going to get a little ballast movement from vibration from trains.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Love that tamping mc.

[@ChobertonJunction]

Hey Wickfield Lane, having returned to model railwaying after a rather lengthy break, I am starting again and good to see your process for ballasting. Not at the a point yet but getting there.

[@WickfieldLane]

Enjoy the channel and good look with your layout 👍🏻

[@flagman515]

Thank you sir for a well presented tutorial on ballasting. I admire your patience and talent. I was wondering how well the ballast spreader worked - now I know! It seems more people are using water and dishwashing liquid versus isopropyl alcohol. Too bad the vacuum car doesn't come in HO scale.

[@WickfieldLane]

Glad you enjoyed 👍🏻😉

[@dustymodels]

While technically his layout is OO scale, HO and OO run on the same gauge of track, only difference being the model size and couplers (if ur HO layout is north American that is with knuckle couplers) so if you get your hands on an OO tracker cleaner it should work fine on your HO layout 😀

[@flagman515]

@@dustymodels Thank you sir for the explanation. I need to pay more attention to all the scales/gauges.

[@bourne-jagt1716]

Excellent video. Where did you get the track vacuum and ballast MOW regulator. Those are real cool.

[@WickfieldLane]

Thanks 👍🏻 the track vacuum is a Gaugemaster GM2250101 Track cleaning vehicle, and the ballast spreader is a Proses PBS-HO-01 👍🏻 hope this helps

[@bourne-jagt1716]

@@WickfieldLane thanks. So if I duplicated the question of others.

[@alastaairrogeers6117]

Hi I’m looking into having a set up with boards able to be stood on their sides for storage, would this technique hold all the ballast in place or would it still be quite loose on surface?

[@WickfieldLane]

Yes it will hold as long as you do a strong PVA mix, I do 50/50 with water, give it a good soaking beforehand with water spray will also help. Be careful though as any heavy drop of the board may loosen some ballast

[@pauldaley576]

Great video, can I ask, where did you get the tamper machine from?

[@WickfieldLane]

Hi Paul, this is a Viessmann Tamper from Germany, they are available on eBay, with factory sound fitted they are around £300+

[@pauldaley576]

Wickfield Lane thanks

[@declanweston6771]

How does the glue not interfere with the electric in the track or is that just analogue sets?

[@WickfieldLane]

Hi, this is a DCC layout, and the glue doesn’t effect the electric in the track at all 👍🏻

[@crsrdash-840b5]

Where did you get that operating track tapper?

[@WickfieldLane]

Hi, the yellow Tamping machine is made by Viessmann, I purchased my DCC sound version from Germany via eBay

[@ECMLTrains]

Whats the name of the backing track you use? Cheers ECML

[@WickfieldLane]

Can’t quite remember the actual song but all the music I use is from iMovie on the iPhone 👍🏻

[@andybudd5281]

Hi, just completed several sections of ballasting but found to my cost when moving the sections ( I have 3 x sections on a 8x4 layout) some of the ballast was lost,as it didn't stick enough, I didn't soak the ballast enough, will try the PVA 50 / 50 mix as per your video.

[@WickfieldLane]

Make sure you do at least two or three soaks with the PVA mix 👍🏻

[@andybudd5281]

@@WickfieldLane Thanks for the reply, yes I need to soak more, first time around you think its not going to sink in and it going to make a right old mess, but it does work and leaving it alone for a good 48 hours as well.

[@WayneRich76]

What liquid was with the washing up liquid that was 1st used before pva

[@WickfieldLane]

It’s just plain water with the washing up liquid which is in the black bottle, it’s used to apply a light mist of water on the ballast to get it wet and ready before applying the PVA mix. The light mist action prevents the ballast from moving whilst you get it damp, once damp apply the PVA mix 👍🏻

[@WayneRich76]

Thank you

[@startrekking359]

Does this work on the Midwest cork road bed?

[@WickfieldLane]

Sorry I don’t know that product but if it’s a type of cork it should work, maybe try a sample first

[@robertweeks4299]

Where did you buy that tamper and how much?

[@WickfieldLane]

Hi Robert, this is a Viessmann Tamper from Germany, they were available on eBay but hard to purchase now, with factory sound fitted they were around £350 at the time.

[@toastplays3]

Would you recommend doing all the track at once or in segments?

[@WickfieldLane]

I’ve always done it in segments 👍🏻

[@toastplays3]

@@WickfieldLane Ok thanks

[@WickfieldLane]

I’d recommend around one metre each time, don’t rush it 👍🏻

[@maxskelton6345]

So it’s ok to get the track wet?

[@WickfieldLane]

Yes as long as the power is off

[@daveygivens735]

Does anyone 'weather' their track? If so, curious at what stage you do it.

[@WickfieldLane]

Usually not long after ballasting, it’s difficult to airbrush once you’ve added scenery and track side furniture

[@HarmanMotorWorks]

Ive already done mine before even installing it. First use wood brown spray top down for the sleepers then apply a rust red patina to the rail sides using a paint pen. Remember to wipe off the rail tops regularly during the process then use a rubber track cleaner. Cleanliness of rail tops is critical for reliable running. Once I've installed the track I will come back and weather it/stain it with some dark stain in the centreline of the sleepers and weather the ballast

[@daveygivens735]

@@HarmanMotorWorks Thanks, HMW. I was wondering if it was reasonable to do that before installation. I think it might be easier-you can do them in batches.

[@HarmanMotorWorks]

@@daveygivens735 Yep definitely allows you more flexibility to complete it in batches of track at your convenience. Plus, when the track is not installed you can more easily get into painting the nooks and crannies without being hindered by trackside infrastructure, etc

[@violinstar5948]

I did all the steps. I sprayed the ballast with water and it turned black! My ballast went from grey to black sludge and ruined my layout. Why was this??

[@WickfieldLane]

Has to be something wrong with the ballast your using, never heard of this happening before

[@farmerdave7965]

Polyvinyl acetate

[@NejMoss4873]

Working in the rail industry. Track ballast is never perfect. You will always have ballast on top of the sleepers and at the foot of the tail. Don't make it so perfect, its not natural.

[@jackphoton]

Regrettably, no one ever shows how those Proses ballast boxes react at a turnout of any kind. :(

[@WickfieldLane]

Unfortunately no ballast spreader works on a turnout, they always have to be done separately by using a fine brush around the moving parts.

[@discohospital]

How did you do the cork under the track?

[@WickfieldLane]

I purchase the cork in rolls, it’s 2mm thick and pre cut for track width, you can either glue the cork down with PVA or fix with the track with pins