Ballast, ballast everywhere

OK, so I found something I like even less than laying track. Ballasting track. One of my workmates observed that real railroaders probably don't like it much either.

The Brookwood prototype has two three-block-long spurs flanked by two sidings in every block. That means lots of ballast. I have walked all of the spur south of Brookwood drive except for the far eastern end that is fenced off. Also most of the spur between Brookwood and Rosewood. All three tracks are ballasted without any "gaps" between. So, I have a fifty-foot "field" of gravel between the industries on either side of the spur(s). Elevation-wise, this area is essentially flat. In the field there is a visual illusion that the southern sidings are lower than the spurs, which are lower than the northern sidings. In fact there is virtually no difference in elevation. So I modelled the area flat. Naturally the illusion isn't present on the model.

I thought of carving shallow ditches between the tracks. By that time I had spent four evenings getting about half the ballast down. I abandoned any thought of removing ballast. I hope that weeds, trash, structures and other details will either establish the illusion present on the prototype or distract the viewer from my gravel prairie.

Here's where things stand right now (yes, the ground throws are on the wrong side):