Re: Cleaning Ballast - Why do they need to do this?

["Notagunzel" <notagunzel@bigfoot.com>]

Jonathan Lau <jonlau@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
37C20D07.3C95C082@ozemail.com.au">news:37C20D07.3C95C082@ozemail.com.au...

> There was trackwork on the North Shore line last weekend and I saw them
> digging out the Down shore line at the new St. Leonards station.

> The track in that area is relatively new (i.e concrete sleepers) and I'm
> sure they did the same thing when they put in concrete sleepers in about
> 12 months ago.

> A large section of track was removed and old ballast and ground
> underneath the track was then dug out and placed onto the waiting works
> train hauled by 8177/4874.

> Why do they need to do this?

If it was done only 12 months ago, it means one of two things:

1.  RSA are grossly incompetent when it comes to driving a ballast cleaner,
or
2.  RSA have run out of thing to do, but are reluctent to NOT have a big
shutdown in case the plebs get used to the sight of trains on the weekend.

:o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o) :o)

Christopher_Martin GORDON <cmgord@ecr.mu.oz.au> wrote in message
7ptfmi$32l$1@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU">news:7ptfmi$32l$1@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU...

> The requirement for Ballast is to keep the track bed dry and the sleepers
dry.
> For concrete sleepers this donsn't realy matter, but you still need to
keep the
> track bed dry and free of water.  Ballast is a good way of doind this, but
if
> the ballast is dirty then the water will not drain away.

> Same thing applies to roads you need to keep the sub base dry or the road
will
> crack and stuff up.

> Having a wet track base will result in movement of the track base and you
will
> get "speed hump" tracks and do more damage to the trains and tracks.

Good ballast is critical for a good railway.  Plus good ballast makes the
track circuits work better :o)

If you read some of the overseas trade rags, you can get machines wich do
much more than just clean the ballast.  They will dig out the old ballast,
lay and compact a new sub grade, and then drop new ballast.  I've even seen
pictures of ballast vacuum cleaners.  :o)

--
Mr Notagunzel.
Rail Transportation Connoisseur.
notagunzel@bigfoot.com
(Waiting for the next move at http://www.bigfoot.com/~notagunzel)