QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken Limestone.... poor choice for ballast, but it was cheap and available nearby. Railroads will still use it if they can't get a better quality rock that is harder (ie - igneous or metamorphic)..only stuff that is worse is river run gravel.
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QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton Around this area you can tell it's ex C&NW because of the pink hue of the granite ballast. Never bothered to find out about the source-maybe someone knows. Jay
QUOTE: Originally posted by dknelson That C&NW pink lady ballast from Rock Springs has gone through some color changes over the years as they get deeper into it. Some is almost maroon while some is almost truly pink. But there is also a little of it that is almost pure white. The Milwaukee Road used to use gravel for ballast in some places and it was off-white, not limestone either. Dave Nelson
QUOTE: Originally posted by tomtrain I think that is correct. UP runs "rock trains" frequently from the Rock Springs, WI quarry (on Wisconsin & Southern's track - formerly C&NW). Part of the Baraboo range. I've always read that the Northwestern's signature 'pink lady ballast' was mined from this quarry.
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