Era: Transition period
There probably isn't an absolute number, but if there is, it would vary between railroads. How far past the ties should the ballast extend, either in scale feet or as a percentage of track width?
I am trying to avoid going from too little to too much. Thanks in advance.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Believe it or not Henry, on many and perhaps most railroads there WAS an absolute number, at least during the golden age of railroad construction. It is hard to describe because most of the drawings are more concerned with the slope of the ballast and subroadbed. Nonetheless .....
On the Pennsylvania Railroad circa 1917 on a double track main, from the inside of the outer rail to the edge of the ballast: 5'3". Another 18" for subroadbed. Another 18 inches to the end of the slop of rock from the subroadbed. And another 3 feet after that to the bottom of the ditch at the side of the suboadbed.
On a siding, from the inner edge of the outside rail to the end of the cinders sloping down, 4'
Chicago & North Western circa 1925 from the centerline of the single track to the outer edge of the (rock) ballast 6'8 1/2" and 9'3" to the outer edge of the subroadbed before the downward slope. 10'9" to the outer edge of the downward slope of subroadbed which in the drawing also looks like the bottom of the trackside ditch.
Gravel ballast numbers were different. Earth ballast was different still.
Dave Nelson
Almost all the photos of that era show, regardless of road, ballast that begins its angle of repose at or just inches after the ends of the ties. Sometimes you see a secondary layer below the recent ballast, somewhat wider, and almost always darker in colour.
The Soo Line Historical Society and the Chicago and North Western Historical Society both have copies of the railroads' standard documents which will explain this all in incredible detail. I bet other railroad historical societies have them too.
(and the dimensions are very, very similar for those two lines)
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Just what I needed. On my prior layout, I used cinder ballast. I am using a medium gray and the lighter color makes it stand out much more than the dark cinders.
it may also vary by style of railroad, and trackage location ... a class 1 line will have wider ballast than a backwoods logging layout, and main lines normally have wider ballast than yard areas