What purpose do the rocks serve on railroad tracks?

Question

I've been wondering about this forever. What purpose do the rocks serve as opposed to just leaving the ground bare?

Answer 1

They serve as a means to help keep the ties and the tracks from shifting around.  The tracks are bolted to the wooden ties and the ties are practically buried into the ground, but, there is still some shifting with all the weight and speed involved.

Answer 2

they are used like shocks for the rails and ties I think

Answer 3

the rocks are used to disperse the very heavy weight of the train over a larger area...without them the railroad ties would sink in dirt from the weight like it was sand.

Answer 4

They provide drainage around the ties between the rails and help spread the load (weight) of the train.  If the track is laid directly on the ground it will sink in more or less rapidly depending on the quality of the ground, putting gravel under allows maintenance people to lift the whole track as needed.

Answer 5

It is used as ballast to stabilize the ties, and protect them as well.

Answer 6

to help stop erosion of ground,by rain

Answer 7

Rocks are crushed into small pieces and it is called ballast. It provides bed for the track. It serves to keep the track into position and also provides flexibility.

Answer 8

The rocks or "Ballast" are there to allow the maintenance crew level and smooth the tracks. Bare ground would not allow this. Also the ballast keeps the rail from sinking into the ground when it rains. A locomotive weighs between 150,000 and 450,000 lbs. The rail would disappear under that much weight in the mud without ballast.

Answer 9

They serve 3 purposes. 1) They stabilize the ties against movement from train vibration. 2) They assist in drainage from water. 3), They reduce vegetation growth between the ties.

Answer 10

the rocks disperse the water so the ground under the tracks don`t get soft, that would cause big problems.

Answer 11

The rocks are literally "the road".  They keep the tracks from sliding around.  They are the "bedrock" of the line.

The ties absorb the pressure from the great weight of the train.  And the rails, of course, are what guides the train down the road.

Answer 12

drainage