Track ballast forms the trackbed upon which railroad ties (sleepers) are laid. ... It is used to bear the load from the railroad ties, to facilitate drainage of water, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track structure. Ballast also holds the track in place as the trains roll over it.

What is the purpose of track ballast?

Typically Rail Track Ballast is packed between, below, and around the sleepers by specialised equipment. It is used to facilitate drainage of water, to distribute the load from the sleepers, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track structure.

What size stone is track ballast?

Railroad ballast is typically graded from 1 ¾” or 1 ¼” to ½”. Ballast is open graded and washed over a screen as part of the production process. The load that rail cars place on the track is large. Each axel on loaded rail car places a load of up to 71,500 lbs.