Model Railroading > Sherman Hill Ballasting clinic

One Thursday evening one of our members presented a clinic on doing ballasting a different way. He had seen this device in and early Model Railroader from the 70's I believe. It involves a shop vacuum, a large glass jar with lid, and a home made vacuum adapter made out of brass tubing.
The ballast is dumped on the rail. Then he made a jig that fits atop the rail to spread the ballast. Following that he fired up the Roboballaster and turned on the shop vac creating the suction of the ballast through the holes in the adapter and into the glass jar reservoir. This way the vacuumed ballast reserve can be reused as you move on..
Photo 1 sort of shows the device Eric created.
Photo 2 shows working the ballast onto the track.
Photo 3shows Eric vacuuming the right of way picking up the excess ballast.
More to follow.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

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Here in Photo 4 you see the vacuuming device drawing up the excess ballast
Photo 5 shows what the right of way looks like after working it with the vacuum device.
It comes out looking really good.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

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Look in the Jan. 78 issue of MR, page 108 for the original article.
Very clever update!
Bill in Ft Worth