Why stone chips are kept around railway tracks?

Question

Why stone chips are kept around railway tracks?

Answer 1

I would also imagine it stops weeds/ plants from growing too near the rails.

Answer 2

AS was stated many times before, the ballast (stones) provide a solid base for the tracks so they don't move and provide for drainage of the rain and snow and anything else.

Answer 3

yes,it is called ballast,purpose is to keep the permanent way,well,in place,

Answer 4

It's called ballast, and I believe the purpose is to absorb the shocks from the trains. I don't know as much about railway track as I do railway locomotives however - perhaps someone else can give you a better answer.

Answer 5

To absorb shocks

Answer 6

just as almost everyone said, its called ballast, usually it comes in two different sizes, the train yards will usually have the smaller size ballast and the main line will have the large pieces ---- when tracks are in stalled the base is limestone, then they put the crossties down and then the rail  -- the purpose of the ballast is to secure the crossties in place, sounds kind of suspect but as the trains run back and forth over the rail the vibration caused by the trains pack the ballast around the crossties, making it more and more secure everytime it used

Answer 7

The correct terminology for the "chips", as you call them, is ballast, as has been mentioned before. The ballast serves several purposes. First and most important, the ballast allows rain to drain through. without washing away, unless of coarse you would have flooding conditions. This is even more important in the colder regions where ice could form and push the rail out of allignment. Misalligned rail would eventually cause a derailment including possable injury or death to the train crew members and also people living near the tracks. Secondly the ballast does help absorb impact from trains. Another purpose for ballast is to keep the rail ties in place, which in turn keeps the rail in place.

What's more amazing is the general structure for building a railroad bed has not changed in over a hundred years. Even today, in the age of technology, little has been done to change the structure.

Answer 8

If concrete was used as a permanent means of fixing track to earth, the concrete would crack and break apart. Ballast acts as a concrete, it keeps the tracks secure and also makes a dampening effect by absorbing the vibrations made by the train.

Hope this helps.

Answer 9

When the train travel on the track, there is high vibration will occur, for balance and absorb the vibration, stone chips are kept arround railway tracks

Answer 10

Ballast (stone chips) is used to provide a cushion for the rail and for drainage.  If the roadbed was solid, flat wheels and heavy loads could break the rail causing derailments.  In the East they might use limestone or granite and in the Southwest, they use slag from the copper mines.  In switching yards, they use finer crushed ballast to assist the switchmen maintain footing.  When the Ballast gets loaded with sand and mud, it creates a rigid base.  Ballast Cleaners,(machines that place a sled under the rail) ( also called the Manix Plow) are used to clean the ballast and remove the sand and mud ( it is called cinder bound from the days of Steam) , to return the Cushion to the Track  Ballast also helps the track run in and out to help compensate for the changes in tempurature which cause a lenghening and shrinkage of the rail due to its coefficient of expansion/contraction.