Ballasting track for model railroads

[@rolfsrensen4918]

Would it be possible to get a link to the balasting video?

[@mpeterll]

Good idea. There is now a link to it in the description above.

[@fabshop6359]

Really enjoyed this brilliant video, thanks!

[@jolliemark6294]

Nice job Peter as always, I too believe that ballast after scenery....thanks for sharing....Jack 👍

[@jamessutton9319]

WOW, that was incredible. The hands of a master.

[@jefflizotte4758]

thank you,stay well my friend

[@heavyj4805]

Typical great job peter, always enjoy your mastery of the hobby

[@donpeterson997]

I found it looks better if the ballast is added after the ground cover since prototype ballast does run over the already there landscape. Just a thought

[@ewoodrailway]

The only job I hated. I layed it then used 50/50 pva through a poppet, it took forever but looks great now. Great job mate

[@gregbeatty5638]

Keep up the good work be safe

[@MrBsHiawathalandRails]

Nice video!

[@step2191]

Peter, you've really gotta watch your coffee intake or you'll be napping by noon! :-)

[@mpeterll]

I haven't touched coffee in more than a quarter of a century.

[@HumancityJunction]

Do you have a video where you discuss how you got into Model Railroading as a business?

[@rhoobarb773]

Maybe I missed it, but what kind of ballast is it?

[@zas5892]

I've been watching your videos on a pretty regular basis I'm curious now that you're in your new house will you be setting up your train-set soon now with the expansion of your basement it looks like you can really take off and do some great things like I said I know you're busy but I hope to see your own train layout start to come back to life that would be great

[@mpeterll]

There's a lot that has to happen before I can start on my own railroad - including some major remodeling which I cannot even think about until the other house sells.

[@robertpedersen641]

And who is Ellie and how is she doing? Answer next week.

[@mpeterll]

Ellie is my wife. We had a rough couple of months but she's doing fine now.

[@peggyandthegreenfamily5469]

Wow nice demo peter All I have to do is buy some track when the pennies arrive oop's he he best wishes ken

[@darrenoleary5952]

Christmas Dinner? How old is the video?

[@AlexEhn]

He says: December 26th 2019 at 0:20 ish

[@mpeterll]

@@AlexEhn That's right. I don't necessarily record one video each week. I try to keep a good supply in the pipeline so that I don't run out if I get a lean period. This video was recorded in December and edited in January. It then simply went to the end of the queue, resulting in it going live today (April 07).

[@sparky107107]

well that turns into a mess really fast. lol. but does make a layout so much more realistic.

[@davidlindfield]

Way too much glue. Never apply glue to the track itself. Apply glue to the sides and let capillary action take the glue to the track. That way the track won't have a shine to it from the glue.

[@mpeterll]

Thank-you for your comments. Most of what you see is not glue. The glue mix is only about 20% glue because of the 1:1:3 mix, and there is also the alcohol spray to allow the glue to soak in better, probably another 2-3 parts. So only about 12-14% of the total liquid is glue. There still has to be enough to ensure that every granule is coated, otherwise it with break away. I've seen cases where only a thin crust is glued, allowing it to break away the first time the layout gets cleaned. This particular module also had to survive traveling across the country with one half of it up-side-down and every bump in the road doing its best to shake the ballast free. I couldn't take any chances about not having enough glue. It's the old story of too much being better than not enough. I've never had problems with shine.

[@mpetersen6]

Nicely done. All always. There now follows an opinion piece. If this is the wrong place I apologize in advance. Now I'm going raise a subject that the MRR community is going to possibly face in the future. In the aftermath of the current C-19 situation and China's cover-up of the actual conditions in Wuhan and other parts of China. Her predatory business practices in regards to buying up medical supplies work wide. Her complete disregard for intellectual property rights. When the dust settles from C-19 what do we think the ramifications will be. There will be a public and political demand for bringing certain manufacturing back to the West. Medical supplies for one. But I see this spilling over into the let's call it the civilian sector. Instead of looking at price first on items. Buyers might instead decide to look at where the product is made. If it says made in China on the box people may well say I'm not buying it. I have no doubt that sellers of MRR equipment. Engines, rolling stock etc that get their products from China might well find themselves in between a rock and a hard spot for awhile. One reason being the economic hit most of us are taking in this time. The other backlash from anti China sentiments. Now these sellers, Walthers, Aethern etc, they really aren't manufacturiners, they might design the product but they contract out the mnufacturing. Or at best they have a Chinese partner. But either way they re going to need to ask. Who owns the tooling? Who owns the manufacturing machinery? As the example of 3M shows the Chinese government (the CCP) will seize the product for their own use. I really don't think the CCP really gives rats behind about the MRR segment in terms of their national economy. It's a drop in the bucket. But a lot of drops can fill an awfully large bucket. And if these sellers face a large enough impact what will they do? Some unfortunately will go out of business. Others if they own the tooling etc might be able to find partners elsewhere. The main thing that attracted the sellers to China was low production cost. I understand that. It's a business not a charity. The other is the stability of the political situation. In my mind some countries in the Western Hemisphere could have been ideal for setting up operations. Except for the political situation. And this applies to not just the MRR segment. Given enough backlash and even companies like WalMart might re-evaluate some of their business practices. Their continual cost reduction demands from their suppliers drove a lot of companies to manufacture off shore. A good example would be Rubbermaid. WalMart is their largest customer. Or was. In order to turn a profit due to WalMarts demand for lower prices every year. Rubbermaid was forced to either shift off shore or go out of business. If you have an inflation rate of 1% and your largest customer keeps demanding a 1 to 2% price reduction every year you are in a losing game. The question for these companies in the MRR segment is if we have to move. Where do we move to. I'm sure there are small countries in the Caribbean or Latin America that would love to have them. But that's their business. I'm just trying to look into the crystal ball. But I know one thing. If it says China on the box. I ain't buying. I will now get off of my soap box