Does anyone in the "N" scale forum use "Smith & Son" ballast out of Ohio?? If so, can I get some opinions of it? (i.e.- amount of dust, ease of use, scale size, etc.) Thanks for any assist.........
While I have not bothered using this product, with my LHS selling Arizona Rock and Mineral products, I do have a respected friend who does and he speaks very high of it. We are Z scalers and I can't imagine N scale product wouldn't be up to the fine quality as the Z product. Cheers, Jim Socalz44/CCRR
I have been using this on my test module and have been very happy with it. Like Arizona Rock & Mineral (ARM), it is real rock without too much dust, so it's fairly easy to work with. It doesn't come in as many colors as ARM, but if you like a color they offer, you'll be all set. The #50 size is good for N scale, here is a shot of their Penn-Ohio blend mixed with a bit of gray: If you click on the photo you can zoom in Picasa for a closer look. -Gary
I think Chris is right, but I'm afraid availability has become a bit of a poser. I bought my first quart of Smith & Son from Scenic Express, but then it disappeared from their site. About a year ago I saw them at a train show booth and they had the same product under their own label, Express Scale, with the same catalog number: but I still don't see it listed on their web site. Probably best to drop them a line and see what the story is. The catalog number is/was SS1450 (-3 for a quart @ $11.98 and -6 for a half gallon @ $21.98). Page 137 of their printed catalog does list #50 grade limestone ballast in light and dark grey at the same price, so blending that is a good way to go if Penn-Ohio comes up dry. The catalog numbers are SE0163 and SE0263 for a quart of light & dark, respectively. Change the 3 to a 6 for a half gallon. HTH, Gary P.S. I believe that Smith & Son will sell direct as well. Contact info is available on this Railwire thread from a year or so ago.
Updated info....... Just as an update for those interested, I contacted "Scenic Express" today by phone, & they no longer stock "Smith & Son" ballast, but have "their own new product" soon to be available that sounds a lot like it. I also have an info sheet on the way from "Smith & Son", and I'll post relevant info as I get it. I'm on a quest for a suitable replacement for "ARM", as that stuff was just too expensive for me.
If you need more than one bag of AR&M ballast for your layout, you are using way too much! :tb-biggrin: Ballasting a roadbed is much like creating sandpaper...
Thanks for the info. For what it's worth, there is no readily detectable difference between my quarts of Penn-Ohio #50 from the two sources.
???? - the only "bag size" I was aware of from the website was 10-11 oz., & that was $5.30. In all reality, I don't think I can do 120 to 130 linear feet with that :tb-biggrin: Is there another size I missed?
***Another update*** - just got off the phone w/ "Scenic Express", and they no longer stock either the "Smith & Son" "Penn-Ohio" blend OR their own brand of it! The ONLY thing they stock is the light gray & dark gray as mentioned in the quoted post.
****FINAL UPDATE**** Well, after quite a bit of time both on the phone & poking around the web............."Smith & Son" "#50 Penn-Ohio blend" is the winner!, hands down. It's the cheapest of the bunch, ( 4 kinds of real rock ), I could find, by almost half, and as the pictures & experience above attest, the quality is good. It's $2 per pound, and the color selection doesn't vary by much from the others. ("Scenic Express" has light & dark gray......period!) Sent my order in today. Thanks for the advice.:thumbs_up:
