Conrail's Amoskeag Northern Line | Cinder Ballast from Real Cinders

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Cinder Ballast from Real Cinders

Written by Ian MacMillan

Friday, 17 June 2005

With the new addition to the layout to my N scale layout I wanted an easy way to simulate the cinder saturated trackwork that Conrail had on its Pennsylvania Coal Branches. Looking through my copy of Conrail Commodities , I decided that I was going to model the Black Lick Secondary on part of the addition to the layout. This would bring some much needed operational interest to the layout. Photos from Conrail Commodities had the cinder saturated track that I was looking for. I like to use real rock for my ballast as much as possible, it looks better, doesn't stick to the sides of the ties and rails, and it settles nicely with the track. As with my mainline ballast my favorite ballast company, Arizona Rock and Mineral was going to phase out their N scale line, and it is hard to find his stuff out here. While railfanning along some Guilford Track in Newfields, I had found what I was looking for, cinders. They were all over the place from a major trackwork undercutting years ago.

Sorting out the Cinders

I grabbed a plastic track bolt bucket and began to scoop up cinders into it. I filled the bucket to the top, and then took it home. Using the same technique I used for the mainline ballast, I picked out all the parts I didn't want, and then began to sift the bucket. I used 2 sieves, a medium, and a fine. Fill up the medium sieve, and sift the cinders into a new bucket. Go through what is in the new bucket and pick out the non cinder items.

Sift cinders over the track

Now lay your track. I then take the sifted cinders and place them into the fine sieve. Sift the contents all over your track, being sure to get some good depth, and make sure it is all over the track. Use fine brushes to move the cinders from the ties, and run your finger down the track to clear the flanges.

Use a fan brush to clean ties

For my ballasting I like to use a soft "fan" type brush to clean the tops of the ties, and a 4" painters brush, that I use as a "tamper." Hold the brush fan brush at a 45 degree angle, and move it down the inside of the track, keeping the rails clean. Do this for about 6", then run your finger again down the center of the track. Take the painters brush, at a 90 degree angle, and lightly tap the track and ballast, settling the cinders. Once you have the ballast the way you like it, run a magnet over the track to pick up any metal particles.

Ready for weathering!

Mist the track and cinders with 70% alcohol, and then spray with a Matte Medium mixture of 5 parts water to 1 part Matte Medium. Spray lightly, but make sure you soak the area. After 24 hours I like to give ballast another soaking of the matte medium, and then I clean the rails the next day. For weathering I like to make an "India Ink" wash of 50% Badger Engine Black and 50% water, and then I airbrush the entire area.

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