Track Ballasting with Sand

[@Loco-motix]

Looks nice to me. Whatever works is fine, sand, gravel, even simple painted roadbed. Some guys ballast the roadbed and then let the track sit on top. There are many ways to get it done. I always avoid ballast and spraying switch track areas near the actual switch points due to my experience getting gunk/ballast into pivots and a switch machine itself. Even wet water can cause layer of film that prevents current flow on the pivot point/contact plates.

[@snoops702]

I ask my friend who owns a train store here in las Vegas and he said sand is fine u just have to use a little more glue than water so about a 60% glue 40water by the way that track looks just the same as I u were to buy the ballast at the train store or hobby place I think I'm goin with the sand it's cheaper and I just started a shelf train check out my videos let me know if u have any ideas for me it's my first setup

[@georgeanderson4742]

If you use Arizona Rock ballast even if you do not glue it down it will not get in to your motors. It's the real stuff. You should first do your scenery then our ballsting.That is is because the ballast sits on top of the scenery and the real railroad reballast thier train for the same reson. The ties sit on the ballast not in them like most people do. Unless you are modeling a abandoned railroad line..