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For what reason Crushed Stone [ballast] are set in Railway Track?

Track ballast is usually made from crushed stone, even though ballast has at times comprised of additional, less apt materials, for instance burnt clay. The terminology /term ‘ballast’ belongs to/comes from a nautical terminology meant for the stones utilized to balance/stabilize a ship.

Track ballast creates the track bed whereupon railroad ties [sleepers] are placed. It is filled/packed among, beneath, and nearby/around the ties. Furthermore, it is utilized to carry the load from the railroad ties, to ease water drainage, and even to minimize/keep down vegetation that may get in the way with the track structure.

Operations/Functions of track ballast: Actually, the track ballast operates/serves several operations/functions. To start with, it ensures that tracks remain in position at the time super-heavy trains go by/pass/roll by on them.

Furthermore, it even performs/plays an important function in managing any vegetation that may produce/grow nearby/around the tracks (and cause/make the land/ground underneath the tracks undermined/weaker).

An additional vital characteristic of track ballast is that it closes/seals out any water that might be nearby/around the tracks to really get to the tracks frequently.

This does not indicate the ballast fully dissociates/insulates the tracks from water that may be /would be not possible, although it does ease water drainage nearby/around and underneath the tracks in order that water does not remain close to the tracks and affect the strength/solidarity of the land/ground.

Crush Stone Ballast used to:

• To absorb the load of sleeper to syb-base.
• To provide effective drainage to the rain water from railway track.

• To spread load of rails to land (Sub-Grade).
• It is used to absorb the vibrations of a moving train which can weaken RCC structures along the railway line.

Check out the subsequent video lesson, to get a clear understanding.

Lecturer: Civil Engineers