Track ballast facts for kids
Good quality track ballast is made of crushed stone. The sharp edges help the particles interlock with each other.
Track ballast forms the trackbed upon which railway sleepers (UK) or railroad ties (US) are laid. It is packed between, below, and around the ties. It is used to facilitate drainage of water, to distribute the load from the railroad ties, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track structure. This also serves to hold the track in place as the trains roll by. It is typically made of crushed stone, although ballast has sometimes consisted of other, less suitable materials.
Images for kids
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Ballast must be irregularly shaped to work properly
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New track ballast ready for laying at Boxmeer railway station in the Netherlands
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Ballast tamping machine as used in railroad track maintenance (Dade City, Florida)
See also
In Spanish: Balasto para niños
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Track ballast Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.