Adding Ballast To Your Track For Realism

I've posted a few tips both by myself and aticles by others over time. Yet this one by Kent McBee is nice and simple. Making your model trains realistic is half the fun! Enjoy this article.
-Albert Williamson (ultimateguidetomodeltrains.com)

Materials:

HO-scale ballast
12 ounce plastic or StyrofoamB. cup
Plastic spoon
Small spray bottle
White glue
Water
Liquid detergent
Small school paintbrush
1" paintbrush

1. Fill a spray bottle with water and two drops of liquid detergent, and shake well. Remove the cap from a bottle of glue. Pour half the glue into a resealable container such as a clean margarine tub, cover, and set aside. Refill the half-empty glue bottle with water and two drops of liquid detergent, replace the closed cap, and shake until mixed. This is "ballast mix" glue. Set the mixture aside.

2. Pour ballast into the plastic cup. Using a plastic spoon, carefully apply ballast to the track between the rails and along both sides of the track, generously covering everything but the rails.

3. Shape the ballast to the contours of the cork roadbed with the paintbrushes, gently brushing ballast between the ties and covering the entire roadbed (figure S). Shape the ballast on both sides of the track, covering the entire roadbed.

4. Use a spray bottle to spritz the ballast with the water/detergent mixture. Don't spray the ballast directly: instead, spritz to create a rain-shower effect. This will help the glue mixture soak in.

5. Run a generous bead of ballast-mix glue down the center of the track, between the rails. Then squeeze the glue mixture onto the ballast on both sides of the track. Depending on the amount of ballast you've used, you may need to repeat this procedure to glue all the ballast in place. Allow the glue mixture to dry for at least 12 hours before repeating.

6. After the ballast is dry, run a fingernail along the inside of the track to remove any ballast that may have gotten stuck there. Make certain the top of the rails is free of ballast.

7. Model railroaders recommend purchasing an engine and the largest car you plan to run on the track before building the layout. Once you have these cars, determine whether you can run them on your layout without derailing them.