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Sampug394 — Fresh Ballast
Published: 2012-01-15 23:02:26 +0000 UTC; Views: 390; Favourites: 7; Downloads: 5
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Description
RM&N #1 tests the first length of the line with the final layer of ballast, chicken grit, which turned out to be white crushed granite.Seven feet of straight track was effectively ballasted with 5lbs of digestible rocks.
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Comments: 7
What do you suggest as a good ballast? Where I'm building is very prone to washouts and heavy rains. It's very forested, and the ground is basically thick Georgia Red Clay. I originally tried a mix of pea gravel with ground mulch atop a base of..well...gravel. I wanted a little bit of moss, thus the mulch. (The area the right of way is in is full of the stuff, and it looks cool) The gravel quickly filled up with mud, and the pea gravel washed away while the mulch sorta filled in the gap. I only have about 25 feet so far laid, and I'm experimenting alot. Heavy rains though are kinda of keeping me at bay.
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Well I can tell you already the pea gravel is a bad idea, and is worthless for a roadbed and drainage since it doesn't stay put.
Use crusher fines or chicken grit. Sharp edgy pokey rock locks together, and will hold track and drain pipes in place as long as there is enough of it. You will experience some being washed away and settling, so don't be afraid to buy and dump more onto the track, and get used to reballasting certain spots.
Also, with rain, make sure to install drain pipes. Doesn't really matter if they're copper or steel or whatnot, as long as they are large enough for rocks and things to pass through without clogging it, and they are tilted downhill so the water wants to flow out. I've put several onto my garden railroad and as far as I can tell, they appear to be working.
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Yah, I found that out about the pea gravel very quickly, first rain came and it was gone.
Alright, I shall install a few drain pipes under the water runoff areas. I may have to bridge one gap where water seems to like to flow. There is a lot of heavy surveying in this, it's defiantly not like an indoor railroad. I'll try out Chicken Grit and see how things go.
Thanks for the info.
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Now, we call officially call it, a "Permanent Way" Lovely work there good sir!
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DAMMIT HE GRACIOUS APPROVES
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