Rocks-Railroad Tracks

 Why are rocks piled along railroad tracks? 

 

Ballast serves a number of purposes on railroads. It provides vertical and horizontal stability of the track under the influence of train loads and changing temperatures, and therefore ensures that rails remain in place when heavy trains are run over. 

 

It also plays an essential role in restraining vegetation, both of which can weaken the soil beneath railroad tracks. Another major function of ballast is that it protects the rails from flooding. It doesn't mean the ballast completely isolates the tracks from the water, but it facilitates drainage so that the liquid doesn't erode the ground.

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