why railroad tracks has gravel bedding on it?

Answer 1

The gravel you see on the tracks, commonly known as ballast in railroading terms, is used to support all of the infrastructure above it, as well as the above poster's answer, to give the ties a firm support (unseen but railroad beds also have what is called subballast, which is simply packed, hardened, cement-like soil that supports the entire infrastructure above it from gravel [ballast] to rails) with which to support the rails. Gravel is also used as a means to drain water quickly away from the rails (if water lays on rails for an extended period of time it can do serious damage), especially in the way it is shaped, to slope away into ditches located at the bottom of the right-of-way.

Answer 2

the very reason of supplying gravel is for making the tracks on which the trains ply as flat as possible . The various other reasons are easy seepage of water as pointed out others and for supporting the track and not making it slip. if you notice more clearly the sleepers are well inserted inside the gravel.so as not to make the train slip when it runs in high speeds . that is why the train drivers are always adviced to go slow on newly laid tracks so that the sleepers get nicely embedded inside . the gravel also performs the work as the cushion for the earth imagine a train going on full speed on a track on level surface without gravel ( it is first hypothetical and such thing can not be made possible) the damage caused to the earth would be very great . this is why the gravel are used .this is also why the rail workers take care in maintain the gravel as they tend to roll away from the tracks.

Answer 3

To build a rail line, unless your using high tech equipment, thus installing concrete ties in a flat line, the gravel bed is to bed the ties on...a cushion of sorts. Wood rots over time, but that process is slowed down as most wooden ties are soaked in a non-flamable oil that also rejects water from causing rit, plus the gravel strains and drains. I have the CPR main line between Toronto and buffalo right outside my bedroom window...I see the crews packing the beds at least 4x per year.

Answer 4

The gravel's purpose primarily is drainage, along with keeping the right of way intact, and weed/grass free.

The ties are not layed on gravel, rather a sub-grade, of highly compacted earth..

After the ties are layed and the track, it is ballasted -- in other words, gravel is poured on it, and the gravel/ballast is tamped and graded.

Answer 5

The reason gravel.............or slag is used on railways is to give a bed for the crossties (the large wooden beams under the steel rails) that will not hold water which rots wood. It is also easily repacked by the machines used by the railroads to maintain their lines.
I hope this helps.

Answer 6

Because gravel is easy to grade (get flat) and it compacts easily or needs very little compaction.

Answer 7

To act as a sturdy foundation to support a train.

Answer 8

weight distribution, keeping tracks level

Answer 9

its called balast. it absorbs the impact of the train as it passes over the rail.