Track ballest

[dennyblock]

Why is fasttrack and real-trax roadbed grey? I live in the northeast and everywhere i go in new england real ballast is black, like coal. Do railroads use something else in the rest of the country?

[lionelsoni]

Around here it's white.  Here's a picture Dave Vergun took in Austin:

[chuck]

Railroads will generally use whatever is available nearby and is cheap.  I've seen pale blue (unweathered trap rock), light grey, dark grey, black, white, brown (weathered trap rock), and even "pink" (rose quartz).

[eZAK]

The RR tend to use what ever is available localy.

In Nothern IL. it varies from redish brown to gray.

 

 

[csxt30]

Up here, ballast is brought in by ballast trains. Could come from anywhere in the country now days. Sometimes a railgrinding train comes through & not only grinds rail but actually brings the ballast up & cleans it & puts it back down. I forgot the name of the private contractor now but it's been around quite a while .

Thanks, John   

[chuck]

LORAM (yellow) Panderol (Blue), Speno (red).  These would make for a unique speciaty set train.  Some of the MOW trains have special tank cars and water cannon to prevent/put out fires caused by the grinding.  Others have vacuum systems to suck up debris and some include ballast reconditioning equipment.

[csxt30]

LORAM (yellow) Panderol (Blue), Speno (red).  These would make for a unique speciaty set train.  Some of the MOW trains have special tank cars and water cannon to prevent/put out fires caused by the grinding.  Others have vacuum systems to suck up debris and some include ballast reconditioning equipment.

Yep, that's it, Loram ! They have derailed here before & I've had to rerailed them. I always thought they would make a unique train set too !! They make some noise too when operating.

Thanks, John  

[cnw1995]

As Pat noted, on the former North Western lines running here, there is still plenty of "Pink Lady" - a reddish stone. The main lines have recently received a lot of UP and Herzog-dumped white and grey stoned ballast.

On my current layout, I have not ballasted the tubular track - for both conveniently prototypical reasons - trolley lines were notorious for poor track - and practical reasons: I didn't do a very good job of gluing it down.

[chuck]

They make some noise too when operating.

 

That might be the understatement of the week.

The noise can be deafening.  There was an artical where they posted that you could hear the train coming before you could see it.  I understand they smell bad too.

[csxt30]

They make some noise too when operating.

 

That might be the understatement of the week.

The noise can be deafening.  There was an artical where they posted that you could hear the train coming before you could see it.  I understand they smell bad too.

You're not kidding, Chuck !!  Loud, noisey & talk about filthy, too !! They have to be the dirtiest trains on the RR !!   

Thanks, John

[magicman710]

Ballast around here is light gray, gray..... like Grayson!! In my opinion gray is the best looking ballast, otherwise, it aint as purdy......

 

 

[FJ and G]

Around here it's white.  Here's a picture Dave Vergun took in Austin:

 

so it is!

 

(look closely and you will see fossils of seashells and perhaps a baby dinosaur) 

 

 

[dennyblock]

I grew up in Arlington VT, the Vermont Railways went through the center of town. Used to put pennies on the rails, could see the trains from the school yard. Now I live in upstate NY about a mile from another railline. Black cinder ballest here to, only color I remember seeing, to me grey just dosen't look right.

[raymans]

yes I am also used to the dark gray ballast

 I lucked out and was able to acquire a few 20 pound bags of rubber that when sifted looks very similar to our real ballast (or should I say close enough for me for the price)

 

[Anonymous]

What kind of rubber is that? Actual rubber ballast?

[kpolak]

LORAM (yellow) Panderol (Blue), Speno (red).  These would make for a unique speciaty set train.  Some of the MOW trains have special tank cars and water cannon to prevent/put out fires caused by the grinding.  Others have vacuum systems to suck up debris and some include ballast reconditioning equipment.

OK  These are really cool!

Does anyone make 3-rail track cleaning cars like this???

Kurt

[Buckeye Riveter]

There was someone on the forum that weathered their Fastrack Ballest.  It looked really good.

[raymans]

Daylightfan

I think it is used in the construction of playrounds, running fields etc.

made from ground up old tires

If you know someone in the construction trades they may know

 

[RR Redneck]

The railroads use whatever material for roadbed that is cheap, easy to attain in the specific region that a railline is being built or replaced. So the color of the ballast does differ in different parts of the country. Here in Texas, they mostly use crushed granite so the predominant color of the ballast is white and grey here.