Instead of ballasting track anybody done anything less arduous/different to make trackbed look OK.

[Bertone]

My track, code 100 Peco and Hornby mix, is laid on Woodlands Scenic foam trackbed (See attached images).
I am pleased with the results but has any other modellers, rather than lay ballast in the normal way I.e. glue / water spray etc, finished off their track work differently and achieved a realistic and reasonably good looking end result?

Thank you

 

[Big Jumby 74]

I use to use the Peco foam underlay, came in rolls plus bespoke point/turnout pieces for most point configurations. It could be painted, and the sleepers were embedded in pre formed sleeper groves in the foam, so gave the impression the ballast was flush with the top of the sleepers. My only concern with it, was that after a time (I am talking many years ) it could start to degrade, but otherwise a reasonably cheap and OK appearance. Also helped to reduce noise as well.

 

[Cowley]

I use to use the Peco foam underlay, came in rolls plus bespoke point/turnout pieces for most point configurations. It could be painted, and the sleepers were embedded in pre formed sleeper groves in the foam, so gave the impression the ballast was flush with the top of the sleepers. My only concern with it, was that after a time (I am talking many years ) it could start to degrade, but otherwise a reasonably cheap and OK appearance. Also helped to reduce noise as well.

Would it be possible to weather the track by spraying it slightly brown before fitting it to the foam you’ve used?

 

[Bertone]

Would it be possible to weather the track by spraying it slightly brown before fitting it to the foam you’ve used?

Thanks Cowley,
That’s an idea. The track is now all fixed down so spraying will give sleepers /rails and ballast same colour but obviously then cleaning tops of rails might look ok.
I’ll give it a try on a spare piece of trackbed / track.
Cheers

 

[RichJF]

PVA glue on the baseboard, sprinkle gravel/ballast (by hand) then make it level. Leave to dry for 24 hours. Then tack the track on the top. Then at least it looks like ballast underlay without it going into your pointwork!

Kind of halfway between ballasting & not bothering. If I'm feeling adventurous I'll paint the sleepers a light brown mucky colour too.

 

[Bertone]

Thanks RichJF

 

[Iskra]

I just used a scenic mat, although it is only stop gap. Looks better than just bare wood. You could of course trim it down to just fit around the track.

 

[Purple Train]

I've been toying with the idea of using cork strips (because a) N-scale ballast is far too overscale and b) I'm quite lazy).

 

[Big Jumby 74]

I've also now purchased a bulk batch of cork sheets, as although I have plenty of ballast and one of those ballast spreaders on hand, the idea of doing all that work on my working/running-in layout, only for me to change my mind (about the layout plan) two weeks down the line, and I'd have a right old mess over my track. Sometimes better to turn a blind eye to certain detail perhaps.
Thinking further, I have the odd largely static diorama, sort of 1' x 6' more as displays for certain things, and these I will in time 'ballast' properly as I have no intension of changing them.

 

[Cowley]

I've also now purchased a bulk batch of cork sheets, as although I have plenty of ballast and one of those ballast spreaders on hand, the idea of doing all that work on my working/running-in layout, only for me to change my mind (about the layout plan) two weeks down the line, and I'd have a right old mess over my track. Sometimes better to turn a blind eye to certain detail perhaps.
Thinking further, I have the odd largely static diorama, sort of 1' x 6' more as displays for certain things, and these I will in time 'ballast' properly as I have no intension of changing them.

edited to remove an interesting typo of ‘cork’.

 

[uk_avenger]

I used roofing felt glued to baseboard. Was able to cover the non track areas with static grass or scatter. Used sand in maintenance/aggregate sidings stuck down with PVA mix.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

edited to remove an interesting typo of ‘cork’.

Oh hell! I am sorry if I did......

I used roofing felt

That can be a good base for outdoors O gauge themes.

 

[Justin Smith]

I originally used foam underlay but when I got my layout out again (admittedly after a couple of decades ! ) it had all decomposed to dust and all the track needed relaying. I wouldn't touch foam underlay again. Personally I think just grey paint looks OK, and one could stipple it a different grey if really that bothered.