Why are there stones on railways?

Question

is it for rain/flooding?

Answer 1

The stones under the rails and sleepers is called 'Ballast'...something to do with keeping the rails level when a train passes over them..

Answer 2

The main purpose is to hold the tracks in alignment. They also provide drainage for water and cushioning for shock absorption. The ballast is tamped so although the very top may appear to be loose, underneath the rocks are pressed tightly together.

Answer 3

Ballast is placed between the sleepers to keep them in place and to cushion the vibration of travelling trains.I suppose it does help the rainwater run away as well.

Answer 4

Those stones are called "Ballast", and the track is placed on them because it provided a slight cushioning effect, allows slight (natural) movement of the track, and prevents the track from becoming waterlogged in the event of heavy rain (or at least that's the theory of it!) which would mess up the signalling system ! ! !

Answer 5

The stones make for good drainage.  Keeping water away from the ties (or sleepers as they are called around the Empire) keeps them from rotting and breaking, thereby throwing the track out of guage.  One further thing to think about is that quite a few toilets used to dump onto the tracks while the train was in motion.  Stone ballast makes for a good septic field.

Answer 6

It's called "ballast" on the railways, though "ballast" has a different meaning elsewhere. It's simply there for the sleepers to bed into (you can't just lay the sleepers on the ground, the track would move).

Answer 7

it's the cheapest way to leavel the tracks over time

Answer 8

it is usually to absorb the shock from the train when it passes over them.  and if they did it in dirt...........rain+dirt=mud+train=sinki... track=no more rail to run on

Answer 9

The stones are called ballast.

The ballast distributes the weight of a train over a wider area than laying the track directly onto earth could.

Contrary to earlier answers, the ballast is not designed to bounce or compress as a train travels along.

Although the stones are irregular in shape, they lock together to prevent movement of the sleepers (ties) in a lateral, fore/aft or vertical direction.

The ballast does allow for drainage, but the drainage is only as good as the subsoil or foundation of the line.

Answer 10

It's called ballast. The stones hold the track level and provide some cushioning. If you watch closely when a train passes you'll see the track dip slightly into the ballast as the wheels pass.

It also allows drainage.

Some modern railway track is laid on concrete slabs. The cushioning is provided by rubbery type pads under the rails and drainage is through holes. This type of track (slab track) is mainly used in some tunnels where there is limited headroom for modern large trains.

Answer 11

Stones do three things.

1... It allows excessive rainwater to drain away and prevent the sleepers from corrosion.

2...It also allows the sleepers to remain in position.

3... It also allows fine adjustment to be made to the level of the rail