choochooloco
Mainline Manicure
Like a highway needing new asphalt, railroad tracks also require periodic maintenance.
Without the hard working personnel in the track department, track conditions would deteriorate quickly. Take this ballast cleaner for instance. It is a dusty, loud, and hot job. So why clean ballast you might ask?
Ballast is the foundation of the track substructure. It allows the rails and ties to uniformly distribute the weight of a passing train. In addition, ballast allows for proper drainage.
Not just any rock is used as ballast. Railroads generally prefer quartz or limestone due to the hardness of both. Each stone has edges that tend to interlock when a train passes providing rigidity.
Let's not forget that ballast allows for the combination of rails on ties to be flexible vertically. As a train passes, the track structure moves up and down. The ballast assists in absorbing these millions of pounds of weight.
With this movement comes a problem; tiny edges of the stones break off. These pieces then drop down into the substructure and get stuck. As more pieces accumulate, along with dirt and other substances, a dam is formed.
Drainage is now a problem. With no place for water to go, it mixes with the broken rock edges and debris to form a cement-like muck. These areas begin to dry and become rigid.
Flexibility is now compromised. Without the ability to move, the rails and ties can irregularly settle into hard depressions affecting track geometry. Passing trains will bottom out in such areas. If left untouched over time, a derailment may occur.
While I never look forward to the delays brought about by track maintenance, it is an absolute necessity in maintaining a healthy track structure.
If you are curious, does it seem strange to call this rock ballast? Ballast is a nautical term used to describe stones being used to steady sailing ships. I find it interesting that a nautical word found use in the railroad industry.
And now you know the rest of the story!
Mainline Manicure
Like a highway needing new asphalt, railroad tracks also require periodic maintenance.
Without the hard working personnel in the track department, track conditions would deteriorate quickly. Take this ballast cleaner for instance. It is a dusty, loud, and hot job. So why clean ballast you might ask?
Ballast is the foundation of the track substructure. It allows the rails and ties to uniformly distribute the weight of a passing train. In addition, ballast allows for proper drainage.
Not just any rock is used as ballast. Railroads generally prefer quartz or limestone due to the hardness of both. Each stone has edges that tend to interlock when a train passes providing rigidity.
Let's not forget that ballast allows for the combination of rails on ties to be flexible vertically. As a train passes, the track structure moves up and down. The ballast assists in absorbing these millions of pounds of weight.
With this movement comes a problem; tiny edges of the stones break off. These pieces then drop down into the substructure and get stuck. As more pieces accumulate, along with dirt and other substances, a dam is formed.
Drainage is now a problem. With no place for water to go, it mixes with the broken rock edges and debris to form a cement-like muck. These areas begin to dry and become rigid.
Flexibility is now compromised. Without the ability to move, the rails and ties can irregularly settle into hard depressions affecting track geometry. Passing trains will bottom out in such areas. If left untouched over time, a derailment may occur.
While I never look forward to the delays brought about by track maintenance, it is an absolute necessity in maintaining a healthy track structure.
If you are curious, does it seem strange to call this rock ballast? Ballast is a nautical term used to describe stones being used to steady sailing ships. I find it interesting that a nautical word found use in the railroad industry.
And now you know the rest of the story!