How to Make a Track Ballast

Complete the layout of your railroad track, including benchwork, cork roadbed and fixing the track in place. It is your option whether you wish to landscape the rest of the layout before or after you lay the ballast.

Place some ballast in a paper cup and slowly pour it over a section of track. Begin between the ties, then move on to both exterior sides of the rails. Work in sections of 1 to 2 feet. Pour the ballast on the sides freehand. To obtain a more controlled result, hold a playing card a short way from the edge of the track ties. Pour ballast into the space up to the level of the ties, then slowly remove the card; the ballast, will form a slope. Move the card down the track, pour more ballast, and repeat through the entire section. How close you place the card to the rails will depend on what scale you are using, but try for a distance of about 2 scale feet.

Use a small modeler's paintbrush to sweep errant ballast off the railroad ties.

Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent in 1 quart of water. Put the solution in a spray-mist bottle and mist the section of track where you have added ballast. Do not spray too hard or you will disturb the ballast. The detergent solution will help spread the glue you will be applying in the next step.

Mix 1 part white glue with 4 parts water in a container. Using an eye dropper, place a drop of the water-glue solution between the ties and also along the edges, every 2 to 6 ties. Repeat Steps 2 to 5 for the rest of the track. Wait eight hours for the glue to dry. You can use a straw instead of an eye dropper, using your finger to cover the top of the straw to maintain suction.

Test the ballast. It should be glued together as one solid mass. If some ballast is still loose, apply more of the liquid-detergent solution, followed by a reapplication of the water-glue solution.

Use a hand vacuum to carefully clear away any loose pieces of ballast once it has dried completely.