Why do all the railroad tracks have rocks?

Question

16 yr old son is just curious and wanting others opinions...he's bored I guess

Answer 1

Just is right, it also helps water drain away from the tracks.

Answer 2

rock are needed to support the weight of the train.  gravel rocks absorb the movement of weight shifting of the train. it is a good base that easily replaced as repairs to the tracks are needed . If the foundation was to solid it would  the weight would damage the rails and parts on the train.  kinda like if you put solid wheels on you car with no shocks  on a car. the ride would damage and increase the repairs needed to the car...

Answer 3

"Have rocks"?  

If you're talking about in between and on either side of the tracks, it's to protect the roadbed underneath, and stave off erosion that would weaken the tracks.

Answer 4

Most of the answers are correct .  The ballast provides drainage to prevent the ties from rotting and also helps prevent the track from shifting.  Also under the rock a cloth based roll of material is placed on the ground first to prevent mud from working it's way into the ballast and preventing drainage

Answer 5

because they were built a long time ago on gravel...

Answer 6

It's ballast. It helps keep the railroad ties in place. And I would think it also acts a shock absorber from the train movement.

Answer 7

To keep weeds from growing...

Answer 8

Just try to imagine what would happen if the tracks were tied directly to the ground. Within a very few yards the whole train would be derailed because of the unevenness of the ground. Just as your house is built on foundations, just as a road is built on foundations - not just tarmac or concrete poured onto virgin soil - so a railroad needs foundations, to provide a firm basis and foundation for the tracks. The 'gravel' is called ballast (as others have told you) - all the other reasons given - to provide a smooth ride, to help drainage are really incidentals to providing  a firm foundation. Just remember the biblical parable of the man who built his house on sand - its the same thing, really, and just common sense if you think about it.

Answer 9

your son is very observant, good question

me, being a smartaleck was going to say because rocks are cheaper than pickiing up derailments

but I cannot do that to such a fine young man so I must defer to the above answers

ballast is totally correct, it is there to hold the track from sliding, keeps it level, provides drainage so the ties last longer, and it just looks cool.

I used to work on a RR that was so old the gravel was totally overtaken by weed and sod, they ran a weed mower each summer to keep the grass below the level of the rails.

funny thing about a sod railroad, one year there was a flash flood, the BN branchline parallel to ours was graveled and washed out, ours just turned greener.

The section hands used to say they chnaged the ties out with a shovel.

your son gets a star for paying attention and observing things

Answer 10

I agree with Just Me but disagree with "sha_heaven0."

In NYC Subway's elevated station along Jamaica Avenue and Jamaica Bay tracks has weeds growing on the track.