Model Railroading > HO or N scale ballast supplier?

Greetings! After my subject search due diligence, nothing was found of a current answer here. I'm seeking a source for HO and N scale ballast.

I'm aware of Woodland Scenics products, and I use some Arizona Rock & Mineral Company products. I'm looking for colors they don't offer, like more neutral brown/light beige. I've collected and sifted soil from my prototype location in the Sierra mountains so I'm familiar with that type of ballast/groundcover acquisition; I just don't have enough volume to cover our entire layout's trackwork and I'm trying to match the location samples I have on hand with a commercial product. The amount of colors and textures I have available allows me to blend and shade the scenery much like a palette of colors allows a painter to blend and create exactly the desired effect.

My stockpile includes samples from Timber Products, Rock Quarry Line and T's Custom Trees, and all of those seem to be out of business. 

Is there a cool new, but perhaps little-known, go-to company (other than Arizona Rock & Mineral) for ballast and groundcover materials?

Thank you for any input along these lines.

Jeff Johnston
trainvideosandparts.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/20 12:31 by Jeff_Johnston.

Scenery Express ballast is well spoken-of. I don't know if any of the W. Oregon shops stock it. They list lots of granite and limestone varieties and one category of buff for unimproved roads. Have you considered wash of acrylic in your favored color?

Try going to your local building materials dealer -- not Lowe's or Home Depot -- but a place that sells masonry supplies.  Silica sand (used for fine tile grout and for sandblasting) in some parts of the country is available in a light beige or a light gray.  It is washed before it is bagged so there are no clay fines in it. There are different grit sizes so depending upon how large you want your ballast to be, ask to see samples of 30 grit, 60 grit and 90 grit.  Many moons ago when I modeled in N and HO, that's what I would use.  The best part is a huge bag (90 or 100 lbs.) is less than $15.00.  You can give some to your friends because you won't need it all.  Good luck in your search.

-John

jcaestecker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Try going to your local building materials dealer
> -- not Lowe's or Home Depot -- but a place that
> sells masonry supplies.  Silica sand (used for
> fine tile grout and for sandblasting) in some
> parts of the country is available in a light beige
> or a light gray.  It is washed before it is
> bagged so there are no clay fines in it. There are
> different grit sizes so depending upon how large
> you want your ballast to be, ask to see samples of
> 30 grit, 60 grit and 90 grit.  Many moons ago
> when I modeled in N and HO, that's what I would
> use.  The best part is a huge bag (90 or 100
> lbs.) is less than $15.00.  You can give some to
> your friends because you won't need it all.  Good
> luck in your search.
>
> -John

This is why I love this part of this site! This is way cool idea!

Jim

Any ballast color can be modified by brushing on some dry powdered color, thus getting something close enough and economical is a good starting point.
If you don't like your first attempt at color powder, just flood it with wet water and much of it will wash down into the matrix of rock and you can try again.
As to ballast color, it varies.  Locations where engines stop and start like ends of siding may accumulate some light crushed traction sand powder.
The uphill track in double track grade territory will also have a light gray overlay of this dust compared to the downhill track.
Main lines usually have fresher ballast than sidings, spurs and yards, where some plain tan/brown dirt and mud will be showing through the remaining rock.
As to cheap bulk ballast, I have used "Quickcrete" brand construction sand which is a gray-tan color.  I run it through screens to remove the larger particles.
There are several colors within the sand, some grains are light gray, others are light to medium brown, and a few are quite black.  I think it gives a great texture and a good yard or back track ballast.
For main lines I used AS&R.
Check locally, what they sell as sand near you may come from nearby sources and be a different color than what I got.