Crushed Oyster Shell for Ballast or Not?

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Rob B

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I can't get a good read on what the opinion is for crushed oyster shell for ballast. I'm having a hard time finding a reasonably sized crushed stone (~0.25") in a light color that looks reasonable. The chicken grit I've come across is a red/dark brown and the chick grit which seems lighter is too small. There is a landscaping company near me that has small stone from 0.25" to 0.375" but it seems too rounded and the color doesn't look very reasonable.

Crushed oyster shell I've come across is a nice light color, has the sharp edges, pretty cheap and seams reasonable from a scale perspective.

I've seen people suggest its use and others tell people to stay away from using it but with no explanation. What's the take on it for use as ballast?
 
Crushed clam shells are even better as they have a rough texture, but crushed oyster shells are useable if you add a binder.
Mix it with some dry cement powder (you could add lightening colour powder-paint to the cement) and spread it as you need and then just gently sprinkle water over it and it will bind very nicely and still look the white colour that you want.
 
I tried chicken grit early on -it was a mix of grit and crushed oyster shell. I found the pieces of shell were too bright (almost white) and stood out, thought the grit was the right size. I even tried sieving the shell out (obsessive, me?), but with no luck. The flakes of shell also got stuck in point blades, so some sort of binder, as beavercreek suggests, is necessary...

I subsequently used Rowlands Mix (sand/cement/peat) which looks right for the line I'm modelling (Isle of Man railway) but grows moss too well. Like you I'm looking for a decent sized grit. I have heard that 'grit to dust', often used between block paving might be worth a look. I've only got a UK link, I'm afraid. http://www.wickes.co.uk/Dansand-No-Weed-Block-Paving-Sand-Stone-Dust/p/131899
 
Northsider said:
I tried chicken grit early on -it was a mix of grit and crushed oyster shell. I found the pieces of shell were too bright (almost white) and stood out, thought the grit was the right size. I even tried sieving the shell out (obsessive, me?), but with no luck. The flakes of shell also got stuck in point blades, so some sort of binder, as beavercreek suggests, is necessary...

I subsequently used Rowlands Mix (sand/cement/peat) which looks right for the line I'm modelling (Isle of Man railway) but grows moss too well. Like you I'm looking for a decent sized grit. I have heard that 'grit to dust', often used between block paving might be worth a look. I've only got a UK link, I'm afraid. http://www.wickes.co.uk/Dansand-No-Weed-Block-Paving-Sand-Stone-Dust/p/131899
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I got some of that from BnQ once I thought, must have been Wicks. Good stuff.

Re your Rowlands with Moss, you could try watering with Tap Water. Moss not too fond of whatever it is that goes into Tap Water. How do I know this? When I first tried to grow Moss, I watered with Tap Water and wondered why it did not take.
JonD
 
I used tap water to 'set' it, but once Mother Nature took over, it was pure, clean rain water all the way. And with the lawn thick with moss(we're on heavy clay), there are plenty of spores around...
 
Just how many oysters does one have to eat to ballast a railway? :oops:
 
Some years ago I bought some aggregate chippings which has bits of shell mixed in it. I used it to replace lost ballast - where does it go? (some birds I gather use it to grind their food) However, It looked awful to my eyes.
After about a year I removed most of it and replaced it with fine limestone chippings (10oz. I believe). It is a little overscale but at least looks fine and keeps the track stable - no need to secure except through tunnels and bridges. I used the mistake product for horticultural purposes rather than railroad ones.
My advice is keep away from garden centres and places that sell plants. Go to a builders merchant or similar outlet.
 
Thanks all for the feedback. This past weekend, I did a sample section of 1 meter of track and road bed with the oyster shell and I think it looks really good (in my opinion). I was really impressed with how smoothly the train ran over just that section versus the rest of the loop (where the track is just on the ground). Unfortunately, I read last night that there are some concerns with the alkalinity of the oyster shell and it that can damage track. :-/

Back to the drawing board, I guess.
 
Like everyone else I've tried lots of different sorts of ballasting. I've used starter chicken grit both on its own and mixed with cement dust. I've used the chicken grit flooded with diluted waterproof PVA. I've also used this stuff http://www.locomotionworks.com. The latter works very well.

I've also tried Rowland's mix, with some success.

I find different methods work differently in various places on the railway. In some places it stays put, in others it washes away! Moss grows in some places, during parts of the year, but not others! Undoubtably using ballast requires maintenance, just like 1:1 railways.

I have yet to find a local supplier of crusher fines, but keep looking. Our local chicken grit is a bit white for my liking, but the locomotion works stuff is a great colour.
 
Rob B said:
Thanks all for the feedback. This past weekend, I did a sample section of 1 meter of track and road bed with the oyster shell and I think it looks really good (in my opinion). I was really impressed with how smoothly the train ran over just that section versus the rest of the loop (where the track is just on the ground). Unfortunately, I read last night that there are some concerns with the alkalinity of the oyster shell and it that can damage track. :-/

Back to the drawing board, I guess.
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Would be nice to see a pic or two to see how it looks.
JonD
 
then logically you could ballast the track with little blue pills? :nerd:
 
Rob B said:
Thanks all for the feedback. This past weekend, I did a sample section of 1 meter of track and road bed with the oyster shell and I think it looks really good (in my opinion). I was really impressed with how smoothly the train ran over just that section versus the rest of the loop (where the track is just on the ground). Unfortunately, I read last night that there are some concerns with the alkalinity of the oyster shell and it that can damage track. :-/

Back to the drawing board, I guess.
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I can't help thinking that the alkalinity issue is slightly overblown. However, with the cost of track being what it is, I can understand the unwillingness to take the risk, but doesn't the rain give it a good wash every now and then?
 
Will post a picture tonight for those interested. It rained quite a bit yesterday and last night (~3 cm) and was happy to see the roadbed still in place and not washed away (though it is in a level and pretty well protected area). This morning I was surprised to see that the oyster shell turned a whitish-orange.o_O

But, I also got a lead on some grit that I think will work quite well. With some binder mixed in, I think I should be good to go. Thanks for all the feedback.
 
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