Plaster dust?

N-scale ballast (at least the scale stuff) makes for an ok gravel road in HO scale. So the finest ballast available is still 1" stone in HO. I recently was sanding down some plaster castings with 80 grit sandpaper. I'm thinking the sanding dust would be about right. You might want to just use solid plaster and color accordingly. I'm thinking when I'm at the beach and unless I'm closer than a few feet from the sand I don't see sand I see a sand color landscape.

Check the spice rack

Michael, maybe check out your kitchen spice rack.  I've been using ground white pepper to represent spilled grain for years, so maybe there's something there that'd pass for HO sand.  I'd recommend filling up most of the bin with something cheaper like real sand or a piece of styrofoam, then just doing a top layer with the HO sand.

Another thought that comes to mind is sifting dirt from a gravel road or lot.  I've found that this works great for hard packed dirt or sand.  I sift it through a piece of window screen, then again through a Tide laundry bag (available at Walmart for around $3).

 "I recently was sanding down

"I recently was sanding down some plaster castings with 80 grit sandpaper. I'm thinking the sanding dust would be about right. You might want to just use solid plaster and color accordingly. I'm thinking when I'm at the beach and unless I'm closer than a few feet from the sand I don't see sand I see a sand color landscape."

Yeah, I've used plaster or spackle to represent sand. Washed sand is pretty white in many locations so coloring might not even be needed. ...DaveB

Scale sand

Diatomaceous earth from a pool supply company.

Cut a block of foam to fit

Cut a block of foam to fit the bin, paint the top of it very generously with acrylic craft "sand color" (whatever that is for your railroad) and while wet, sprinkle on baking soda. If necessary, touch up the edges with more paint and soda after installing. Vacuum up any loose dust.

Always use some kind of form under the soda - keeps it from shrinking and cracking, and it's less of a mess overall. Also lets you get a more precise shape to your "mess".

ETA,,, The Diatomaceous Earth isn't a bad idea either... if you need 5 pounds at a time, or already have it on hand.

sand blast sand

from the sort of unit you'd use on a brass  locomotive

David

Tile grout

Check Lowes or Home Depot and find a color that's close to sand.  You may want to sift it through a nylon stocking to get it in a really fine powder form if the size appears out of scale.

The Happy Sandman

I used regular sand.......

Very fine sieved ,cleaned and oven dried sand but 1:1 scale - Pretty much barr_ceo's method for bin fill method.

Sometimes I think trying to get correct scale size results in no texture at all. Occasionally over scale is OK because your mind performs a rationalization exercise.

Rob Clark
Cornhill & Atherton RR

go to the beach

If you're close to the ocean go to the beach. some beach sand is really fine. You could try garlic powder.

False floor....

 of foamcore was my idea for cutting down on the space to be filled  but a block of foam works too. Great ideas so far and I'll have to investigate further. Baking soda seems like a nice idea, and maybe a little less of a problem than some other food items mentioned.  Also now that I think of it, I have some "aquarium sand" stored somewhere from back in my saltwater fish days....if it hasn't been thrown out that is. Thanks to all for the ideas so far and if you have one that hasn't been mentioned, please add it.

Michael

Bugs?

does the white pepper attract bugs?

HO sand

I found this sand on the beach at City Island, Harrisburg, Pa.

chinchilla bath sand

Michael

I've heard people on UK forums saying they have used chinchilla bath sand. Might be worth a look at your local pet supermarket.

George

Good point!

Often times scale size items don't look as good as out of scale (too big) items.  Sand is a perfect example in that HO (or smaller) scale sand would look like a completely smooth surface.  I'd use "artist license" to justify sand that looks like sand even if it is out of scale (too big).

Bugs

If it does, I just squish them the first time I hear them sneeze. 

But no, no bugs in my experience.  I've had it on top of covered hoppers for many years, and on several elevator tracks around the layout for about a year, always sealed with diluted white glue.  The only bugs I've ever seen around the layout are the occasional stray fly or gnat that finds its way inside the house. 

Footprints

Ordinarily I'd use really fine salt (run it through a coffee-grinder a couple times), but if you're doing a beach or a dusty country road and you want to put HO scale footprints in it, I'd recommend cornstarch.

As has been noted. HO scale

As has been noted. HO scale sand should be almost smooth. And while some have said they think it looks better to be oversized. I myself would prefer it smooth on my layout.

I personally would create the shape with foam. cover the top with a layer of Hydrocal to smooth it out. Liberally paint it the color of choice, then dust the surface with dry hydrocal. This will give you texture without it looking out of scale. For HO dirt roads, I prefer unsanded or sanded grout depending on the type of road.  

How about very fine sawdust?

How about very fine sawdust? Could take a block of wood and a very fine file and make it as small as you want. I'm sure it's a lot of work though. Heck you might not even have to paint it either, natural colors and what not.

In a past discussion some

In a past discussion some people recommended Polyblend Sanded Grout.  It can be found at HD or Lowes, I forgot which I got it from, and it comes in a lot of good earth tones.  I bought some and liked it.

Looks like the perfect application for zip texturing

See: MRH Sep/Oct 2010

... also see: MRH Nov/Dec 2010 - Zip texturing weathering powders

The beauty of zip texturing is you can make it any color you need. You can also control the "texture" by how thickly you apply it and how much you wet it. For the smoothest finishes, I like to smooth the plaster scenery under layer with water, then paint it with craft paint the color I need.

Finally, I brush on the zip texturing powder to give it a dusty look then mist that with water to set up the plaster. If needed, I can brush on another layer or two of zip texturing with a brush and mist again with water until I'm happy with the dusty look of the area.

By using the brush on method mixed with water mistings, I find I can get a nice smooth but dusty looking dirt area that will not rub off when wiped with a finger. Seems you could get a pile of sand that looks loose this way too.

Update

Since I see another old thread of mine dug up, I'll give an update. I think most of you know that my pike lay dormant for quite awhile when medical issues and a subsequent bout with depression derailed me for sometime. Besides deciding to sharpen their tiny teeth on rubber buttons on my Digitrax unit, field mice, which can sometimes be a problem with my rural wooded lot, decided to dine on the baking soda that I used to simulate sand. The fact it was sealed with thinned tan acrylic paint did not seem to deter them. It's not too bad but the sand bin will definitely need some sort of facelift when I get back around to that area. I will consider options then but the other day while in Hobby Lobby I had decided that a small bag of Woodland Scenics sand there didn't look too bad. I'll let y'all know what I do when I get back over to the engine terminal. Right now I'm finishing up the final pieces of the trackplan and about to embark on DIY DCC++ using an Arduino and a Raspberry Pi.

I use actual locomotive sand

Since I have access to the real thing, that is what I use.  It is also nice and dry.  Locomotive sand also has a minimal clay content, which is important to make sure the sand acts as an adhesion enhancer, and not as a lubricant.  Just a point of interest, locomotive sand is also crushed sand.  Sand out of a river bed, even if fine, is water worn, and acts more like mini-ball bearings. 

Locomotive sand is pretty fine as it is, but doesn't "scale down".  Given as fine as it is, you would have to be dealing with fine powder similar to talc to scale it down, and I don't want to deal with that. 

Here are some areas of my layout done over 20 years ago.  The sand deposits represent where the locomotive's sanders were tested at the service track, and where sand application was done when first starting the consist. 

Regards,

GNNPNUT

I Agree with GNNPNUT

I had access to some real locomotive sand and I used it on my layout and as loads in some open gons. Yes it is scale oversize, but your eyes don't see it that way unless that is how you filter your model railroad world.

To me it seems neat to use real sand from real locos.

Espee over Donner

Loco sand

It's a great  suggestion guys but I'm at a loss as to how someone like myself who doesn't have access would gain access!

Funny story, my late brother once walked the tracks behind his workplace picking up loose coal that had blown from the hoppers en route to the old steam plant that once stood on the lake I live on. He brought it home to me for use on my pike. He had no idea he was breaking the trespass law or, in effect, stealing.