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Years ago during when most of the classic railroads were operating each had a particular quarry in which it used for ballasting. Of course, back then most railroads were small enough that a single quarry could often fulfilled the needs for the entire railroad. Because of this many railroads could be distinguished by the stone it used to ballast its system.
One often forgotten aspect of the ballasting system is what is known as sub-ballast or sub-grade. This layer of crushed stone or even pavement, as some railroads today now use acts as a moister barrier and added support system for the railroad track structure above including the rails, ties, and ballast. It is always the first component of the track structure to be laid down and is a very important, unseen component.
If the railroad track did not have a sub-ballasting system, or very poor one at best, the rails and railroad ties would eventually become water-logged and fail causing a derailment, or worse, a washout. According to Brian Solomon's book Railway Maintenance, The Men and Machines That Keep the Railroads Running , today the typical layout for a well-ballasted railroad track system is stone lined to the top of the railroad ties protruding roughly 14 inches to either side.
From this point the rock is tapered away on a "3-to-1" slope to an eventual distance of 9 feet, 10 inches from the center-of-track with the stone being about one-foot deep below the bottom of the ties. Pretty technical stuff for something that looks so simple! If you ever happen to take a closer look at a well-maintained railroad right-of-way be sure and notice how the ballast system works, aside from the stone and technical layout. To either side of the railroad track below the ballast you will notice a well-groomed ditch that carries away all of the water which drains from the railroad track structure.
Also pay attention the rails and railroad ties. If the system is properly ballasted and maintained no water will be anywhere near either, as will weeds and other foliage.
It's hard to believe that simple crushed stone plays so many vital roles as part of the railroad track structure.
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What is bigger than an asteroid but smaller than Mercury and farther from the sun than Neptune? Still have questions? Not recommended. Concrete and steel are the most common alternatives, recycled plastic is becoming increasingly popular.
Concrete sleepers are stronger and last longer than wooden ones, but concrete is more expensive than wood. Steel sleepers have a long life and are easier to work with than concrete. Being made of metal though, steel sleepers are inappropriate for certain types of electric trains and train signalling.
Plastic sleepers are typically the most expensive. Recycled plastic sleepers are becoming more popular however. Trains have to slow down or suffer through a bumpy ride if the ballast or sleepers are not maintained.
This is because of:. When ballast wears away, trains have a bumpy ride. Trains can also derail if the condition of ballast, sleepers, and rail deteriorate too much. We analysed a few years of derailment data to identify what the most common causes of train derailment are, and track related problems were on top.
Maintaining ballast is about removing the gaps that form between the stones. Gaps can form gradually due to the movement of trains on the rails, or by water flowing through and eroding the stones. To do this, a machine picks up the rails and sleepers, and re-settles ballast to close the gaps in the rocks.
This is also a good opportunity to replace stones that have eroded into rounder shapes. Sleepers crack or erode after being exposed to weather for many years. To replace broken sleepers, the rails are first untied from the sleepers, then a machine picks up the rail, a new sleeper is inserted, and the rail is lowered back down and retied to the new sleepers.
We wrote recently about what is involved in track maintenance, and what sort of qualifications are needed for the work. Click here to check out that article:. There are many train lines that do not use ballast or sleepers.
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