Dagworth

Yes, I would say it definitely is!

Try steel rails, leave them out for the winter and they'll become authentically rusty without any effort at all!

I've got no real problem with either painting the rails or ballasting as it's satisfying when it comes together. I can understand if there's yards and yards (or metres and metres) to do - but even then broken up into small chunks, it's doable.

However, I find rails more difficult as these new-fangled acrylic paints don't adhere too well onto the sides unlike enamels. Seems to be a factory finish coating on the track.

Cheers,

Philip