 Joined: 08/09/2015(UTC) Posts: 2,078 Location: Cowansville, QC
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Hi guys  Track C marklin is a reproduction of a track with ballast. So I'm looking for something to put between the two tracks. I really don't see what Do you have any ideas? Thewolf |
Project Estrie Rail Road-CS3-Track C- Itrain-Digital |
 1 user liked this useful post by Thewolf
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Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC)
Posts: 497
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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Busch has a ballast (Schotter) especially made for C track (I believe Noch has something very close too). Using a different color for variety works well also (like Woodland Scenics gray in medium size) and then vegetation, flock, grass etc. can be used where appropriate, also something like yellowish sand/gravel can be used.
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1 user liked this useful post by Copenhagen
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 Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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I agree with above post. Rather than try and replicate the ballast in between tracks it looks quite good doing a different colour. The contrast will make the tracks stand out a bit.
Have a look at Marklin exhibition layout where they use a dark brown underlay between tracks.
Best Regards
Lasse |
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
3 users liked this useful post by Danlake
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 Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC) Posts: 1,288
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Originally Posted by: Thewolf  Hi guys Track C marklin is a reproduction of a track with ballast. So I'm looking for something to put between the two tracks. I really don't see what Do you have any ideas  ? Thewolf As you plan for 77.5 mm track distance instead of 64.3 mm, you could also place a lake or a city between the tracks... Ofcourse I’m just kidding... This layout ”almost” had me going for C tracks instead of K tracks in visible areas, it could maybe be of inspiration: I like e.g. the areas where ballast color is the same as the C tracks.  |
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9 users liked this useful post by PeFu
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 Joined: 04/12/2013(UTC) Posts: 2,261 Location: Hobart, Australia
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Originally Posted by: PeFu As you plan for 77.5 mm track distance instead of 64.3 mm, you could also place a lake or a city between the tracks... Ofcourse I’m just kidding... This layout ”almost” had me going for C tracks instead of K tracks in visible areas, it could maybe be of inspiration: I like e.g. the areas where ballast color is the same as the C tracks. Hello Peter, Thank you for your post of the video, I enjoyed it very much. You may have seen from my posts that included images of my layout that I am quite enthused with K track for numerous reasons. As you note, K track can enable close inter-track distances - but to each his own and this wonderful forum has many fine members of eclectic interest variant at power control format, gauge, manufacture, vintage and Märklin track differences - these are the attributes that make it such a magnificent diverse forum ! Regards, PJ 
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3 users liked this useful post by PJMärklin
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 Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC) Posts: 15,870 Location: Gibraltar, Europe
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Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
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9 users liked this useful post by RayF
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 Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC) Posts: 7,452 Location: Scotland
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Go with Rae as his layout with C Track to me looks excellent. |
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer. |
3 users liked this useful post by David Dewar
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Joined: 08/09/2015(UTC) Posts: 2,078 Location: Cowansville, QC
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Hy gang Thank you for your suggestions. They are noted I can see I'll be spoilt for choice. Thewolf |
Project Estrie Rail Road-CS3-Track C- Itrain-Digital |
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Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC)
Posts: 497
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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You can see a mix of Busch C ballast and Woodland Scenics gray and brown here:  
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6 users liked this useful post by Copenhagen
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 Joined: 04/06/2007(UTC) Posts: 180
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I use the Noch ballast (09376). In this album you can see the process album   |
Best regards
"https://www.youtube.com/profile?user=rapama14"
 IC1968
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9 users liked this useful post by esgovipa
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 Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,467 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
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Originally Posted by: esgovipa I use the Noch ballast (09376).
In this album you can see the process Nice looking bit of scenery. The folds in the hills do look natural, not always easy to achieve.
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3 users liked this useful post by kiwiAlan
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 Joined: 04/06/2012(UTC) Posts: 76
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I think the greatest contributor to C-track looking more "natural" is to weather - even lightly - the sides of the rails! A bit of dry brushing (almost any shade of gray, black, brown, etc.) across the plastic ballast is also a winner. And if you clip your catenary masts or signals under the roadbed, for sure ballast or cover the "gap" - that looks terrible. |
ETE - Swiss Era III - BLS - Brig Station |
3 users liked this useful post by midwestbls
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Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,801 Location: Crozet, Virginia
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Originally Posted by: midwestbls I think the greatest contributor to C-track looking more "natural" is to weather - even lightly - the sides of the rails! I agree. You can get a really nice look with less mess and way less cost and labor, especially for a larger layout by weathering versus the (beautiful) hand laid ballast. I would prefer the later but my plans are for long lines and I can't lavish that much money and effort except in a few areas. The weathered track and ballast are easier to keep clean too, which is a concern for me, after seeing some people's trains after running or storing under poor conditions BTW - Just figuring this stuff out is really fun for me - I know that I am weird- but at least I am happy. |
Regards,
Jim
I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time. |
4 users liked this useful post by dickinsonj
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 Joined: 18/02/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,334
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In a Märklin Magazine (German edition) from 1997 or 1999 (I can't remeber but think was from 1999), there was an article about weathering C track.
Beyond painting the rails, I remember the first task was to remove the shine of the ballast. After that thye changed the colour to something close to what is the Trix C track and added some raw painting so that it didn't lok so homogeneous.
Unfortunately I can't remember how it was done, and I also don't remember if I understood it (as it was in German...).
In case during the weekend I find the article, I will take a photo and upload, but probablility of find it is very low.
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Best regards,
Miguel
Mostly Märklin H0.
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2 users liked this useful post by mbarreto
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Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC) Posts: 15,870 Location: Gibraltar, Europe
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On the question of "weathering" C-track, I would like to comment that when ballasted nicely with the Noch ballast and used for a couple of years, the natural effect of trains running and household dust mixing into it will produce quite a pleasantly realistic look.  Others might disagree, but I think there's no need for me to paint the rails or do anything else to this track... |
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
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6 users liked this useful post by RayF
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Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,801 Location: Crozet, Virginia
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Originally Posted by: RayF Others might disagree, but I think there's no need for me to paint the rails or do anything else to this track... I completely agree with you Ray - that track is perfect and needs nothing but trains running on it. I think the utility of weathering is for long runs of straight track like the American southwest I want to model as part of my next layout. When modeling very long lines the economy of just dry brushing and getting a good appearance makes sense. I think everyone agrees that doing something like Noch ballast gives a lovely result and is preferable. I also was interested in your comment about it looking better with time and dirt and thinking Wow, I never thought my poor cleaning habits could have an actual purpose. But seriously, maintaining it over time was a concern of mine when deciding how much of my layout I want to do real ballast on. Definitely in more built up scenes and in my more highly landscaped areas and it is good to know that it just gets better as it ages. |
Regards,
Jim
I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time. |
5 users liked this useful post by dickinsonj
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Joined: 18/03/2007(UTC) Posts: 6,763 Location: Brisbane, Australia
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I agree that painting the sides of the rail is likely the most effective, but a lot of work. Try to vary the colours between C track. I use standard coloured Noch or other scenic texture paper underlays, changing them every half-metre (18 inches) or so. It looks OK to me for a model train set, and bypasses the mess associated with glues and ballasting. The more random your colour changes, the better.  Yards are in-fill with cardboard rail to rail.  Kimball |
HO Scale - Märklin (ep II-III and VI, C Track, digital) - 2 rail HO (Queensland Australia, UK, USA) - 3 rail OO (English Hornby Dublo) - old clockwork O gauge - Live Steam 90mm (3.1/2 inch) gauge. |
6 users liked this useful post by kimballthurlow
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Joined: 15/11/2009(UTC) Posts: 300 Location: Silver Spring, Maryland USA
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Originally Posted by: kimballthurlow I use standard coloured Noch or other scenic texture paper underlays Hello, Has anyone found an underlay that is a good match for C-Track Ballast? Regards, |
Rob
Mackenrode Wende Bahn |
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Joined: 06/07/2012(UTC) Posts: 1,316
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Hello Serge (Thewolf) and fellow Márklin users, Seeing the beautiful work done by my fellow Marklin-users.net modellers on ballasting Márklin C track, I thought it was time for me to try my hand at it. Here are a couple of pictures of my attempt.  First, paint the plywood grey. Yes grey not gray as I’m not American, I’m Canadian, eh! As some of you know I have quite a substantial amount of track to do so to make this easy, I’ve had to come up with a way to do this effectively and most importantly, easily! My solution to tackle this endeavour is to use 1/2 inch/13mm artist masking tape, the reason being is that it sticks really, really well! I’ve tried painters masking tape but that does not stick well enough. I position the tape in the middle of the rail and then press down the sides of the tape so that is covers the wooden tie ends. Then I can brush glue onto the sides of the angled track bed without getting glue on the top of the wooden ties and track bed. I’m using the Noch Grass Glue item number 61130I which seems to work best at letting me brush on a thin coat of glue. Once I get a better feel for doing this, I will post a video. One lesson learned so far is not to let the glue dry before removing the masking tape as it will remove the ballast that’s stuck to the tape leaving an uneven edge of ballast on the road bed edge! BTW; I’m using Woodland Scenic coarse grey ballast for the ground covering and fine grey ballast for the angled track bed. The painting of the track will come once I’ve completed the ballasting of my layout sometime in 2030, Just kidding!  Any question please ask! Sincerely Michel.    
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3 users liked this useful post by michelvr
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Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC)
Posts: 497
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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Michelvr. Thx for sharing pictures. Have you considered the Woodland's medium ballast?
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Joined: 06/07/2012(UTC) Posts: 1,316
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Hello Copenhagen,
Medium would also work nicely too!
I’m using what I have on hand as I have a box full of scenic material which included these two types of ballast in grey.
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Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC) Posts: 7,452 Location: Scotland
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Ballast should have different colours along with weeds etc. using ballast of the same colour without any type of oil patches and weeds just looks wrong. Woodland scenes have track underlay which is not bad and different scatter can be added to it. |
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer. |
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 Joined: 11/04/2011(UTC) Posts: 81 Location: Greece
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hello all of you.
in my opinion the noch n scale product for ballast is the one you can select.
the noch 09174 looks like Maerklin c track ballast , it is inportand to to remember that if you use the n scale you can correct
the result easily , if you dont like it adding a bigger one ( in my opinion you dont need to for the purpose you want it ).
the colour is very near but if you use vallejo washer you can give an extra focus to the points steam locos sprays some oil to the ground.
Finnaly ,in my opinion the way you do it is the 50% of the success
1st you apply the material and you formed
2st moisturized it with water + (2-4) drops of dish detergent (prevent adhesive to melt with the moisturized ballast) using small areas
3rd fill the area with pla adhesive 50 -50 with water + 2-4 drops of dish detergent (it will look like a small white lake !!!, but dont worry thats good )
let it dry for a day
thank you
Harris
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2 users liked this useful post by harris19
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