South Yard: Ballast for Mainline and A/D Tracks

In this video, I'll be using what I learned from the 12 different ballasts experiment, make one last test from my two finalists – ARM UP Gray Blend #1352 and CSX/SP/WAB Blend #1382 – before settling on a winner for the main and AD tracks in the yard. I’ll use this final test and compare with real world photos, before ultimately choosing #1382. I’ve put some effort into making the track – rails, ties, and ballast - look the best I can through the yard. This is important, as the layout here is only about as wide as the yard itself - with the exception of some building flats along the backdrop, the tracks will be the whole model in this area.

After incorporating my original shelf layout into the larger layout, the plan for completing my HO Scale Deepwater and Manchester Railroad has been to work Southbound (right to left), moving to the left as scenes are completed. The layout will be in several phases at once, keeping things fresh and interesting as I switch between them.