Ballast, Ballast, and More Ballast

Used some sand-colored ballast, fine, to start the -- what will end up looking like -- little used passing siding.

Completed the siding; before:

and after:

Then the branch line at other end of layout:

  and after:

Used fine grey ballast with a bit of fine black ballast added to distinguish from mainline!?!

Ditto branch line with passing siding, before:

and after:

Seems it's impossible NOT to use too much ballast compared to prototype.  Will need some considerable scenicking to complete the tracks, plus ballasting the Cotton Factory and Cotton Gin spurs.  Oh well, seems ballasting never ends. . . .