Hi all,

I am wondering when others apply ballast to trackwork?

Is it before or after grasses etc get applied to the surrounding scene?

Is it better to apply the ballast first then apply static grasses up to the ballast?

I am ballasting a small section at the moment and have already applied 2mm static grass right up to the roadbed formation, but when I place the ballast, it's sitting on top of the grass and just doesn't look right.

Cheers.

Ian

I have been working on building switches with the Fast Tracks jigs. I have the jigs for the left and right #6 and the wye #6.

I have learned a few things after making a few dozen switches:

1. Polish the circuit board tie with a few passes of a file, it should be shinny. Cut the gap before you put the tie in the jig. I cut both the top and bottom, I have had a short where some solder had dripped down and made a connection with the bottom foil. Very hard to find.

All,

Looking for suggestions on how to secure code 83 rail to a scratchbuilt carfloat. I'm planning on using MDF covered by styrene for the body. I saw a MRRV video on the Rice Harbor layout where they used PECO inspection pit parts to secure the rail. That works for a two track float when the float rails are straight.

I’m getting ready to lay my flex track starting off the outside radius of the turnout and I have a question to all who read this.  Is it really as easy as spreading the adhesive, putting the track down with thumbtacks and adjusting the ties before the adhesive sets?  Videos I have found are laying flex track on straightaways or using Micro Engineering track that you curve beforehand.