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THESIS

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A Study
of
Ballast 2nd Ballasting

A Thesis Submitted to

The Faculty of
MICHIGAN STATE COIJEGE
of
AGRICULTURE AND APPLIED SCIENCE

by
Frank J. De Decker

Candidate for the Degree of

Bachelor of Science

December 1948

Table cf Contents

Subject
10 Preface
2. Introduction
3. Choice of Ballast
4. Selection ofxCross-Sedtion
5. Need for Clean Ballast
6. Machinery and Ballast Work
a. General
b. Power Ballast Machine
c. Matias Automatic Ballast Cleaning
Mackine
d. Hatisa Automatic Tamping Machine
7. Outline of Building a Track Bed
8. Reballasting Operations
9. Station Bellasting
10. Summary
11. Appendix
12. References 1
13. .Snecial Citations

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L4 BACK Cr EEOC}:

205757
1

List of Figures

Figure Page
1. meco Power Rail Layer l5
2. Power Jack 17
3. View of Skeletonized Track 20
4. Power Ballast Machine ’ " 20
5. Line Sketch o£.Matisa Ballast Cleaning machine 24
6. 'Hopper Units for Ballast Cleaner 25
7. Overall View or Hatisa Tamping‘Machine 29a
8. Closeup of Tool'Frame’ 29a
9. Closeup of Tamping Tools ' 29b
10. View bf Operating Principles of Matias machine 29c
11. Surfacing Crew at Work 35

ii

Preface

ft is the primary purpose or tnis article to sodaalnt
those who have not been exposed to the fascination of

1.

"working on tne railroad", or those with a limited know-
ledge thereof, with the many and varie’ operations con-
nected with ballast and nallasting.

Included in this article is a section on the various
machines which are used in the operations. utere possi-
ole the use of these machines is included in the discus-
sion of the particular Operation for union the nachine
was designed.
signasis is nude on the ass of nacnirorv in all op-

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yeultlLI-l bettivdh Silt :-..dlll. {fjtlivao \l 4.01.55 ulbbaiace JI‘U..LL5

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choice tnan to resort U0 one obvfidy, plodding, electing,

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tn.uest- .:*.v ne'v lo :nr+ru'euts of tue inaustrlal

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C‘p’BCluJ' 'ol CL. JOA‘ULLAE’ the clan. lne oill‘o b Laoel'lal,

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.noweve , can Je bald .o as and heart oi tno ioaoosu

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even tie heart oi tne railroad 1 se'i---ioi fine“ b:llabt

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and JtBCu.-iCS as a Epost or its iormer self.

A railroad line witnon like a duck with-

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OLrt its "oil~filmed” restlers—--;t will flounder and strug-

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e lieu iron tne u e oi gravel

'3“ - ,_|,.“L 1' ‘ ‘ “F‘v \ v v —-
Lu: a meig-u callast in Old snils; onen serves seweral

(1.) to drain water away from the ties (a) to grovioe a firm

h r - q“ ' - . ‘ r , " r" ~ ’ a, ‘, r‘ ‘.-' 3 f‘ .fi . I I ~~ ’ - I ‘ F

qrfi4 even bearing lo: tie ties an tu xlSErth4€ t e ores-
K‘: ' ' o I .. ‘ —- _'.. 1" "'-\‘-J ‘ -' ' ‘r I: r ,7 o ‘ 7 \ J- "-I- — —. ‘

Vklb’ ilk/in out. 0.1.x...) VVV- Lilo ¢.wdQU'§3J, \d; b0 Jl'QVlQe

"c ‘1’CLlilSU neaVing‘ L): ll'QSt; (£2) CC suing-1v fJLL;ll* :5. r; nit]-

-. It") ‘- 7-5: *‘Q -.— ‘ r +'-- -. ‘ -~ .--.‘.—, r r -‘.-- ‘ - '
~et.4cen tno ties to -..Clu Men. in place and aa nst tne ends

'L‘.-.. a _ ’— - u _ __.‘ ,‘ - .
be nolu their in line; and \5) to

All of these ftnctians wenld be complied wit; if sol-
J—

R ' " . ~" ”.r‘ 1 -., ' ._'.‘.L.. r 3 r: 9" ~1r‘ - 1_\_ -- a. - ' r- -
1“ CL--C.L'“+G'3 Wei-.27 uSGu li-;.ot3c.1ci w... ca..l.aSt, but: exwerlence

*eEis proved that rieid concrete track 5 ructures do not

perform satisfactorily and are of little practical value.
Therefore ballast may be said to perforn two additional
fuic ions:2 (5) that of providing a resilient and elas-
tic supoort for the tie and the rails, and (7) that of af—
fording a means for the elimination of capillary action.
Lallast cleaning is closely related to these latter two
functions and a detailed analyses of them is taken up

later in the discussion on the need for *allast cleaning.

Natural ballast materials vary greatly in quality
and the choice must often be determined by availability
and expediency under the particular circumstances. Finan-
cial consideration may sometimes control the choice or
there may be only one suitable material readily available}5
Most of the "big“ roads will desire a superior ballast re-
gardless of cost since they can afford to postpone the
"saving" until the future period of decreased maintenance
expenses has made up the difference in initial cost.

Among the types of ballast availaole are crushed
stone, slag, and gravel for use on Class "A" railways
(see Appendix for Classifications) and Cinders, cementing
gravel, chart, chats, burned clay, gumbo, and disinte-
grated granite for use on Class "o" and "C” railways.

The various types of materials are defined in the
appendix at the end of the article.

aroken or crushed stone is generally considered the
best material availaole for ballast. It should be made
from a hard, tough, and durable stone such as limestone,
trap rock, or granite. It should be screened in revol-
ving screens and be free from dirt, dust, rubbish, and
small particles. It is largely used because of the ex-
cellent drainage it affords and its freedom from dust.
Also since it is a manufactured article and the process

-3...

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is under control, it is practical to make the prouuct
conform to Specifications.

4n the choice of ballast where gravel is available,
it should receive careful consideration as it has given
excellent results, expecially when properly screened,
crushed, and washed. It is usually composed of hard par-
ticles worn smooth and round by glacial pressure, being
inferior to rock mainly because its rounded pebbles do
not bind together so readily as the sharp edged stone.
Pit run gravel is much used for ballast and the amount
of dust and sand allowed is specified by the American
Railway Engineering Association.

Slug in many cases furnishes a ballast nearly as
satisfactory as crushed stone and finds extensive use on
roads in the vicinity of furnaces and steel mills. The
best product is obtained by crushing as in stone ballast.
(Eranulated slag, which is the flux from the furnace broken
(flown, while hot, with a water jet, is not desirable for
Sfirst-class roads, but a great deal of it is used for bal-
liast on side tracks and for the first lift on new track.

with regard to the first lift and the use of sub-
Luallast, it las been found that stone ballast when rest—
irlg directly on the subgrade will break the surface of
t14e road bed and prevent the water, which readily passes

13--’-Tl.‘r‘cugh the stone, from draining off, with the result
tilest mud pockets are fo med and the subgrade material

-4-

 

_ _... .!_

‘Worhs its way up into the ballast, destroying its effi-
ciency. The use of binders as a sub-ballast seems ad-
'vantageous, therefor , (especially in wet, spongy lo-
cations) since the particles are relatively soft and
porous, readily shedding their water content.

Cinders are obtained from the coal burned in locomo-
tives and, when used for sub-ballast, a blanket of not
less than twelve inches is usually effective in pre-
venting mud and similar material from working up into
the top-ballast.

The use of cinder as ballast is further recommended
for such lines as follows: on branch lines with light
traffic; on sidings and yard tracks near the point of
production; as sub—ballast on new work where emoanhmontsv
are settling; and in locations where there is particular
danger of the track heaving from frost.

Chats ballast, obtained from the tailings or waste
Zfrom.the concentration of zinc, sad, and other ores, is
laccasionally used for ballast with satisfactory results.
Tfine material is also Known as stamp sand and consists of
lleavy particles of fairly unirorm size, those from zinc
tneing somewhat coarser than those from lead ore. Chats
al?e regarded as in the same classification for ballast
Seection as gravel and cinder.

burnt clay ballast, while ranking low as ballast,
heis been used with success in the main tracks of a

-5-

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number of railways throughout the Kissippi Valley and
the West.

Clean sand has been used in South America and the
West, but it is so light that it drifts readily and has
to be covered with a layer of broken stone or some type
of bituminous binder.

An ex nple of the availability of the material being
the governing factor in the choice of ballast is found
in the decision made during the rebuilding of the hoffat
Railroad in the Rocky fiountains of northwest Colorado.*

here in a 20—acre tract near the middle of the line
is a formation of solid volcanic cinders, a ballast pit
of almost unlimited supply, which has been opened up to
supply the road. The ballast material was brought down
by a charge of explosive and the blasted cinder rock load-
ed by a 1% yard shovel onto a portable belt conveyor dis-
charging into a jaw crusher. Another belt conveyor
loads the crusher run directly into the ballast dump cars.
It is claimed by the hoffat engineers that this ballast
material is the equal of any in the world.

All things considered, the selection of a good
ballast for a Class "A" road is usually narrowed down to
a choice between crushed stone and gravel. Due to the
constant demand for increased speeds for rolling stock
with the consequent greater abuse to the track (said to !
vary as the square of the Speeds}, most roads are

-5-

 

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selecting: crushed stone for ballast because it possesses

superior qualities which better combat these abuses.

SELECTION OF CROoS-‘””MIUN

‘rhe ballast sections illustrated in the drawing
:iLcluded in the pocket in the back cover are those of-
:ficially adopted by the American Railway hngineering
sissociation, and because of the cars used to obtain the
cnonsensus of opinion of the best officials oi the coun-
tzry} they may be considered as the most authoritative
d 3 signs obtainable .

As in the case of rail, however, road after road is
egiving increased attention to its cross ties and ballast

aseection. In the latter regard, they have found that they

Ireequire not only a better grade of ballast but a deeper
seeection of ballast as well. and in at least a few cases,
liznder the excessive thrusts of high speed passenger and
:Edreight trazfic, roads have found it necessary to increase
"tine width of their ballast section, as well, in order to
husld the track in proper alignment.
The depth of cross-section is based on tests made
Sllowing the distribution of pressure throughout the bal-
lzist. The A. R. E. A. has noted particularly the exper-

irnents La de in Germany by ochubert to determine the dis-
‘tIribution or force upon the susgrade. Zis ex eriments
Srio :ed that the most favorable distribution of forces is
aCcomplished by the use of broken stone ballast. Later
e3'31»?eriments oy the Pennsylvania Railroad, in tests more

-8-

 

 

 

 

nearbr approaching track conditions, substanstiated

LSChubert's conclusion .

1“.”‘71" W71 ‘\ " 1-5! ._ T" 1‘ A 4 - .1 {‘m
.LKAJJ—ID J.‘ («-1 LLlazil‘J HALLLriQJ.

in the introduction, we stated a n‘nber of functions
c>f the ballast material. It will now as shown that every
cane of these functions depend ;or their a:

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Ehe latter two iunctions, those of resiliency and

Capillarity will be considered first.

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ratio exists between the unit Stress or load on the ma-
terial and the amount oi
material, this beind termed the modulus of elasticity.
the stone suitable for \allast has a mininun Value of
0,090,600 in tension and 2,7oo,ouo in shear. when a
-larre stone is brohen up, each retains the modulus of
(Blasticity of the large one, but when the uses oi small

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pieces is compacted together to form a load-carrying el-
ement, the modulus is quite different.

The modulus of the individual pieces is dependent
upon the movement of th molecules within it. hy
the same reasoning the modulus of the mass is depend nt
upon the movement of each of the small pieces against
each other. The amount of the movement depends on the
friction. In crushed stone ballast the amount of friction
determines the load-carrying capacity of the ballast sec-
tion and governs the amount of movement of the individual
pieces. To prove this, place a weight on a pile of clean
dry stone. Tlere is a relatively snall movement of the
pieces and the pile will return to its original shape
when the weight is removed. if the pile is saturated with
a lubricant and the weight again phaced upon it the move-
ment will be much greater and the chances are, it will
not return to its original shape. Therefore, we can state
hat the modulus of elasticity is dependent on the clean-
ness and dryness of the individual pieces or on the amount
of lubricant on their surfaces. The presence of water and
mud is one oi'the greatest enemies of good ballast and acts
very much like the lubricant for drushed stone. Kuch of
this material comes from the lower roadbed section by cap-
illary action and under the proper conditions clean bal-
last can eliminate or materially reduce this action.2

the tOpic of capillarity is equally important.

~ll-

Capillary action occurs as the result of adhesion and
water tension. If two tubes of the same material, but
of different small diameters, are place in water, the
water will rise higher in the tube with the smaller dia-
meter. Capillarity can be transmitted in all directions
regardless of the force of gravity. Crdinarilly the
voids in stone ballast are too large to facillitate cap-
illary action. The soil in the subgrade, however, is
usually of such composition that this action will occur.

Again if we were to take a moist lump of clay and
continuw patting the top of it the moisture in the clay
would tend to be "pumped" to the top of it. This same
action takes place in the soil directly below the rail-
road ballast due to the pumping action of the wave motion
in the track structure when successive wheel loads of
the moving trains pass over. with the rise of the water
is accompanied a rise in the soil so that over a period
of time the soil works its way up into the ballast.

The presence of dirt compacts the ballast into a
solid "dead" mass which abhors resiliency and the fol-
lowing effects become evident. (a) The track line, 3'“-

face, and gage become very sad. Ihese conditions are so
related that they never occur singly, as one produces the
others. This dead Lass sometimes produces a condition
known as a "centerbound" track, which refers to one where
the ballast in the center of the track bec mes more solidly

-12..

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compacted than that under the rails. Consequently, there
is more bearing on the middle of the tie than under the
ends and the surface reverses from side to side as though
the track were supported by a ridge in the center.

hith the presence of bad surface, line, and gage the
rail will oe observed to be deteriorating, the ties will
wear {under the tie plated) due to mechanical (impact)
action, the tractive effort reguired to move the tonnage
is increased with a consequent increase in the cost of
operation, psychological factors of undesirable impres-
sions will be left with the patron due to the rough ride
thereby resulting in a consequent loss of revenue.

furthermore, weeds will thrive luxuriantly for a
portion of the year, which will result either in a costly
pregrah for ridding the ballast of the weeds, or a loss
in revenue due to the further unfavorable impression left
with the patrons.6

heed we stress further the vast importance of main-

tenance of clean ballast and a good maintenance progranzzt

-15-

MACHIJEHY AKD oALLAbT WORK

General

The past World her period has probably influenced
the increase in the development of all kinds of machinery
more than any other period in our history. bpeed and
efficiency was the constant goal. In the railroad field,
also, these aims were sigited. Our industrial machine
has weakened and bent the climbing "cost curve" by pro-
ducing a steady flow of the new labor—saving, speed in-
ducing mechanisms.

Among the number of machines connected with ballast
work the more noteworthy ones include machine adzers for
preparing the incline on the tie to receive the tie plate,
pneumatic and electric hammers for tamping or spike driv-
ing, rail layers, spike driving motor cars, spike pullers,
power jacks for lifting the track, power tempers, and
ballast cleaning machinery.7

The heco Power Rail Layer (Figure l) is an example
of a great labor saving device for a simple, yet expensive,
operation. Formerly it required about 20 to 30 men to
remove and replace a worn rail at the rate of one every
half hour. The crew of the Power Rail Layer consists of
only four or five men and yet the rails can be replaced
at the rate of at least one per minute.

The Jordan Spreader-Ditcher is a good machine for

-14-

 

Figure 1.
Meco Power Rail Layer

-15-

 

 

 

 

final dressing of the shoulders of the roadbed and

ballast. It is a huge machine which is fitted with huge

metal aprons at the side which can be adjusted to conform

to predetermined lepes to cut and push the shoulders

into place.

The spike driving equipment is high-lighted by a
"pile-driver" type machine fitted to a motor car. The
driver can be operated pneumatically or electrically.
Where there is only one rail in place or where the need
for driving spikes is limited, the pneumatic hammers are
:fitted with tools for the purpose.

A Power Jack is shown in Figure 2. It is used pri—
nuarily in the surfacing of track and ballast cleaning
ciperations. The latest machines are Operated on the
huydraulic or screw principle with the weight of the track
s11ructure being transmitted to the ballast in the cribs

‘bertween the ties. The clamps with which the rails are

grasped are shown at the side of the machine.

A large number of machines have been used in the past
ifcxr the purpose of cleaning or rehabilitating ballast.
OI‘::i.ginally the "machine" consisted merely of’a screen

lDlzaced at the side of the track on which was shovelled

the fouled or dirty ballast. Earlier still the ballast

Was shovelled out and sifted with hand forks and forked
b: ' 1 a 1

EiC=Kilnt0 place. lhese metnoos were gradually replaced
IDJV' £3 means for the mechanical removal of the ballast and

-16~

 

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i‘i-gure 2.
A Power Jack

-17-

 

 

a conveyance to the screen. Revolving and shaking screens
were used. about 1925 a very large vacuum type machine
was tried unsatisfactorily. Cranes with clamsnell buckets
were able to remove the sides and inter-track ballast to
:nearby screens and also replace it.
A revolutionary machine, on which principle all sub-
sequent machines have more or less been based, called the

rnechanical "Mole" was introduced in 1926. The machine

 

caleans the shoulder ballast by burrowing into the material
arui conveying the excavated material back over its cutting

IMDSG to a screen.or container.
The disadvantage of all of these machines is the same

in. that the crib Space between the ties receives very

liistle attention unless dug out by hand. To overcome this

drfiwbmck.varicus types of cribbing machines were put on the

:hlllxuan standard compaiy. The framework of this machine is

—ck cover. She ballast is

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sliowli in r‘rlnt 230.]. in the b
driven from the center f the tie outward by means of the
Poiiit;ed "toes" which drive outward with a ramming action

as 'tlie weighted crosshead is dropped. The track is thus
Skeletonizad quickly and efficiently (Figure ’5} for addi-

ticfll of‘either new ballast or the relaying of the old bal-
lasyt Eiiter screening.

._ _ '1

Ifinree of the more important machines '“ '-

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er ' _ , , ‘ '30 1 ° ‘ 4- .: ".—
at:1V“*‘ are those Wiicn are ClSCUSSeG 1n nebfi¢l aelow.

‘lb-

;-,.,

o9.

 

UH»

.‘
s‘ _'

 

 

They are the Power sallaster Tamping hachine, the Latisa

ballast Cleaning hachine, and the Latisa Automatic Tamp—

in; lachine.
The Power sallast Hachine
The New York Jentral System, lines nest of huffalo,

for the past three months has been using a new design

power trach ballaster and has been getting excellent re-

sults with this machine both as to riding quality and un-

iformity of work.8
One of the machines of this type is shown in the il-

lnlstration in Figure 4. its output varies from one-half

1:0 three-quarters of a mile of track per day, working

trwo shifts and depending to a great extent on traffic

innterference.
The operation of this machine is fairly simple. A

6E5 hp gasoline engine lifts a crosshead member which drops

ill a pile driving action. attached to this crosshead are
'ttventy-four tauping bars which are directed along the

Swath into the crib and under the bottom of each side of

Si tie (see frint ho. 2--showiig tamping frame and Print

77‘ . .. , ~ V..\ ..
*RCD. 5--showing peeltlon of Shoes aronn tie). This same

E3Ilgine propels the machine in travelling to and from the

so 07;: pad with a power

'...A

-liDeation of the work. It is a
<3l>erated set-off which facillitates removal of the na-
C3kiine from he rails in about five minutes.

Ereviously it was necessary for about four hen to keep

-19..

 

Figure 3
Skeletonized Track
by Power Cribber

 

 

Figure 4
Power Ballast Machine

int

late;
itio:

tlrz'

feeding fresh ballast under the shoes of the temper,

but an ingenious arrangement for the elimination of the
need for these men has been added by the designer of the
machine. This consists of the addition of two ballast
feed shoes on each side of the machine which are coor-
dinated with the tsmping motion such that the ballast _
is pushed under them.Just before the weight is dropped.
A closeup of these feeder shoes is shown in Print No. 3
in the back cover.

One Operator and about sixteen men for raising the
track and working the ballast during the tamping oper-
ation are required. An additional gang of ten to fifteen_.
men is required for lining and dressing behind the machine.

When the machine is working, the operator manipu-
lates his travel clutch and brake as he locates tie pos-
'ition of the crosshesd over each tie by looking dcwn
thrcugh an opening in the ricor of the machine. While
the brakes hold the machine in position for tamping, he
lets the crosshead dron the number of blows required.

He then raises the crosshead to a position where the
tamping bars Just clear the tie and moves on to the next
tie. The usual practice is for the foreman in clarge of
tamping to frequently check so that the correct number
of blows is made. V

The crosshead member extends the full length of a A
tie. Linked to it and cross-connected by a common shaft

-21-

 

cper

Operating on each side of a tie are sets of tamping shoes.
Each set of shoes has four tamping bars on the outside

of each rail and two bars onthe inside of each rail,
making a total of twenty-fbur tamping bars. Provision
has been made for mounting a lesser or greater number of
tamping bars on these shoes, as required.

The cross}ead drops by its own weight for the tamp-
ing blow. The shoes are guided by a control cam with
connecting links and toggle action so that movement of
the tamping bars is downward into the crib on each side‘
of the tie and slanting toward each other under the tie.
This action can be adjusted in the cab to suit various
rail and tie sizes. _

Because of the force with which the crosshead drops,
aforementioned slanting motion actuated by the cam and .
toggle can best be visualized as a w}ip action which in-
creases its force on the slanting stroke. This action.
and the design features Which_make it possible account
for the establishmEnt'of a more uniform and compact tie
base. _

Except for information gained from the manufacturers.
very little information is available on the savings re-
sulting from.the machines. The company's claim of 50
per cent savings in cost seems to be no exaggeration
based on my experience. ‘Following is the comparative
cost of operation with and without the machine.

-22-

Pneumatic Hammers Power Ballasts;

l. Foreman ’ $10.00 2 Foreman $20.00

8 Hammer Operators 2 Operators 30.00
at $1.02 65.28 ' ' .

4 Laborers ' 8 Jack Operators 65.28

To fork bal- 4 Laborers‘ 1*

last and op- To handle ‘ ””

erate Jacks 32.64 "ballast 32.64

1 Flagman 8.16 1.Plagman 8.16
$1l3.05 56.

Production: 1 .600 ft. Production: 2000 ft.

Cost per ft.: $0.193 Cost per Ft; $0.078

Cost per mi. $1019.04 Cost per mi. $411.84

Even allowing for depreciation,maintenance, and

investment expense the saving is considerable.

The Matias
Automatic Ballast Cleaning.
Machine

Considering the many reasons for maintaining a clean
ballast bed and the amount of cleaning necessary to ace.
clomplish all of them, I believe this one machine to be
the most efficient unit on the market in achieving its
ends. . ..,.

A line sketch illustrating the features of its cp-
eration is shown in Figure 5 on page 24. This machine
has been designed to: (a) completely remove the deter-
iorated ballast from.beneath the track and between ties,

(b) cleanse it by separating undesirable accumulations

from.good stone and chippings, (c) elevate waste screenings

't..I-"‘." 'I. '.
. . (u “’L-'-'
.' .I a
. 1&6qu
u_ \
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.7“ . 'J .0".
figs Roget?
V}. ‘(C(‘ ‘U
y' 15" U” '3‘

 
   
     

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Figure 5

 

Figure 6

-25-

to cars for removal or eject them by the track side, and
(d) return the good recovered ballast to the track side
or re-lay it on the previously cleaned fommation.

The machine is in the form.of a rail trolley on two
four-wheeled bogeys having electrically insulated bearings
which eliminate all risk of short circuits between the run-
ning rails. All units form integral parts of the machine
with centralised control. The machine is mobile under
its own power for travelling from the depot to the site
of operations.

There is only one operation that requires any amount
of hard labor and that is for the preparation of the ma-
chine for operation. One tie must be removed and the
tie space further dug out to facillitate the placing of
the endless bucket or scraper dhain under the rail atlA
(Figure 5). The endless chain is opened at any one of a
number of links along it and linked together again un-
der the separate bogey on which the operator rides.

The operator bogey (B) is connected to the rail trol-
ley by means of adjustable and detachable tie rods
which provide for the progressive advance in action of
the entire unit simultaneously. The forward motion is
controlled through a variable speed reduction gear tO‘a
winding drum.to which is attached a steel hawser (C)
anchored some distance ahead on the track. The speed of
progress can be thus easily and accurately adjusted

-26-

according to the depth of excavation and hardness of the
ballast bed. This bogey srpports the horizontal frame.

member guiding the circulating scraper chain beneath the
ties. Two adjusting screws (D) govern the depth of ex-

cavation and compensate for the angle of inclination of

the formation.

As the machine progresses, blocks are placed under
the ties (about everyfew ties) to support the load on
the track until the machine has progressed enough to def
posit the cleaned ballast at the rear of the unit. Hand
Jack (E) aid the workmen in placing and removing these
blocks. . .

The horizontal chain guide is transversely adjusts
able under the action of an auxiliary electric motor and
this device makes it possible to avoid interference with
many of the normal fixtures or structures of the pars
manent way without interrupting or slowing down progress
of the machine.

The excavated ballast and dirt pass up the conveyor
(1) and drop down at (2) onto a vibrating grid or screen
at the rear of the machine. The unit which receives the

dirty ballast is illustrated in Figure 6, page 25, and .

consists of: (3) the hopper box for receiving dirty bal-

last, (4) the inclined vibrating grid or screener, (5) .

the pivotted elevator for ejecting the waste screening to

tIe side of the track or into cars, and (6) the subsidiary
-27-

hopper for receiving the cleansed ballast and delivering
to (7) the pivotted conveyor chute adjustable for redis-
tribution of the recovered ballast over the cleared
formation or for-piling it at the track side.

The only disadvantage of the machine is that, in the
absence of a nearby siding, a parking trestle must be
previously erected in a suitable position at the side of
the track in order to allow scheduled trains to pass.
When the track is required to be cleared, the chain and
guide frames are disconnected and dropped alongside and
under its own power the machine is maneuvered upon the
parking trestle. The machine is equipped with a hoisting
device for disconnecting and reassembling the chain and
guide frame when work is stopped or resumed. The same‘
device is used to raise and support the scraper chain and
control bogey when the machine is travelling to and from
the site of operation. .

The two special advantages which should benoted
are the facts that the bed is completely cleared of all
ballast so that the cleaning process is complete and the
machine is controlled by only one skilled workman thereby
realizing a great econOmy in labor.

The cleaning process leaves the track in poor line
and surface, however, and must be followed by resurfacing

Operations with the power tempers.

-28-

The Matisa
Automatic Tamping Machine

This machine is perhaps the latest and the most out-
standing of the machines which are rsed in ballast tamp-
ing Operaticns. The machine is used principally, now, in
reballasting and resurfacing operations, but due to the
special features of vibratory motion coupled with the
positive ramming action, these machines will no doubt be
a necessity in the operations connected with surfacing
both new and Old track. The vibration gives assurance
that each unit chip will more rapidly seek its final pos-
ition of rest. It more closely approaches the vibratory
effect of the wheels of the trains than any I have _
studied, thus eliminating to a great extent the need_for
the ”light traffic" period after surfacing operations.

The operation of the machine is very simple. The
entire unit is moved into position so that the tamping
tools straddle the tie as shown ianigures 7 and.8. Fig-
ure 9 shows a closeup of the tools. The tools are set
in motion in high-frequency vibration by means of eccen-
trics as shown in Figure 10 at E. The mobile tool frame
with its chrome-manganese tamping tools are lowered ver-
tically into the ballast by means of compressed air to
the required depth. The tamping tools are now drawn to-
gether with a ramming action by means of the shaft (8)
until it is automatically released by the friction coupling

-29-

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I

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Figure 7

Figure 8

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Figure 9

 

 

 

 

    
  

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Figure 10

is me
~~’ tie
on.

u

“A

u .
win
at;

‘d
.F
“C

4
acne,

new tr:
of t

as shown at (F), when the required predetermined pressure‘
has been reached. The frame is then raised and the machine
is moved ahead in position over the neat tie. Progress

of the machine from.tie to tie is made by a simple pedal
action.

This automatic mechanical action of the machine is
far in advance of other methods of tamping and eliminates
any reliance upon the human element in its operation.

The machines can be used anywhere on the permanent
way and is suitable for all purposes such as upkeep, the
raising or adjustment of the track, or the building of
new tracks. whether the ballast is made up of stone, round
stone, or mixed with sand.

Both the Power Ballast machine and the matisa Auto-
matic tamper are equipped to be moved easily to the side

of the track while waiting for necessary trains to pass.

-30-

OUTLINE OF BUILDING A TRACK BED

Preliminary Operations

The operations preliminary to laying out a new track
bed are similar to those of laying out a highway. They
include the reconnaissance survey and the preliminary
survey. followed by the detailed cost analyses of the
various possible routes.

It is not merely a matter of taking the most direct
route between the two points no matter how much finance
is allowed for the grading operations. Limiting factors
such as grade (usually abtut 1% for Class "A" roads) and
curvature (about 2 degrees for Class ”A” roads) must also
be considered.l ‘

Further considerations incidental to the selection!
of the rcute are based on decisions made after balancing
the increased costs of excessive excavation and embank-
ment_with tie decrease in the costs of operation of the
prime movers and the perennial costs of maintenance.

Ballast and Cross-Section

The selection of the ballast and the cross-section
has already been discussed. we will assume that a sup-
erior crushed stone ballast and the cross-section for a
Class "A" road are chosen.

Roadbed Construction
Advertising for bids is circulated after the plans
I -31-

and profile, selection of ballzst and cross-section, borings,
etc. have been arranged for.

The engineering crew begins setting their line and
slope stakes and planning for their responsibility with
regard to general inspection and supervision and the
maintenance of standards.

A multiplicity of machines are brought to the site
for the purpose of preparing the subgrade. This equip:
ment includes draglines and backhoes for the more irreg-
ular sections of the grading, and is followed by the new
type carry-all scrapers which efficiently transport the
excavated na terial to the distant fill with a minimum of
operations. The grading is facillitated by the addition-
al use of bulldozers, graders, sheepsfoot rollers, and
many others. _ _

The preparation of the roadbed is a subject in it-
self and beyond the scope of this work. The great im-
portance in the superior preparation of this roadbed
cannot be too greatly stressed, however, and future main-
tenance depends a good deal on the care exercised in this
regard.

Ballasting

The ballasting operation may be compared to the lay-
ing out of the velvet carpet for his royal maharajan maj-
esty---the amount of attention and care with which it is
done determines, to a large extent, the future well-being

of everyone concerned.

Since much of the equipment used for all of the sub-
sequent Operations has been designed for use on the rails,
and it will be most efficient from the standpoint of sup-
ply, the skeletonization of the track structure is begun
immediately.

Skeletonization _

The ties, rail fastenings, rails, spikes; and the
other necessary equipment is usually brought to the startf
ing point by rail and distributed by truck therefrom” The
rails must be handled with some type of off-track crane
and it will depend on the individual contractor how, most
efficiently, they can be distributed.

The ties are then spread on the roadbed according to
the predetermined number(usually 24 per 39 ft. rail_..
length). They are placed in line and then machine-adzed
to close gage in order to facillitate the placing of the.
tie plates which receive the rail and distribute the pres-
sure over the ties. A craneor an adaption of the Meco
Power Rail Layer (see page 14) is used to place the rail
in position. The latter machine requires one rail to be
securely in place, however, and is more effectively used.'
for the replacement of rails than for the initial laying..

The spike driving machinery is next brought up, one
efficient type of which is the pile-driver type previous-
ly described. The one rail is checked against the line

-33-

stakes, the other is set to the standard gage of 4 ft.,
8% inches and the spikes driven in---two hold down spikes
and two line spikes. ,

Limiting speeds and weights must be enforced through-
out this skeletonizing operation since the subgrade was
not meant to take very much of this relatively concen-
trated loading. 7.

'The rail laying is continued and a new crew is brought
in for the ballasting of the roadway. There will be a
minor scheduling problem.on the hands of the contractor.
to keep the uninterrupted flow of both the rd.l laying and
the ballast material in action.

Ballast Spreading

The ballast cars are of the side-center bottom-dump
type so that the ballast may be spread evenly in the mid-
dle and at the ends of the ties. If the first lift is
to be an excessive one as could be the case when the new
type power tempers are used, it will be advantageous to_
spread a first layer of about four_inches before_skeletan-
izing the track structure. This is handled by trucking
the ballast and spreading it by use of some type of bull-
dpzer.

Surfacing and Tamping

The roadway is now ready for tamping and the first
of several surfacings. Originally the ballast was entire-‘.
1y hand tamped with sledges and later with pneumatic hammers

-34-

or electric tempers to aid the settling of the stone par-
ticles into a firm.mass. The ballast tamping supercedes,.
in importance, all of the operations subsequent to initial
unloading of ballast, however, and the automatic tempers
to assure a firm, uniform, unchanging base for the ties
should be used.

Figure 11 shows the surfacing crew at work. The
Power Ballaster in the foregound
is capable of tamping about 2000
feet in an 8-hour shift. The
power Jack is shown in the back-
ground.

The engineering force has
previously set the grade stakes /
according to a definite differ-
ence from the final grade line
depending on the number of lifts
required to get the track to fi-
nal grade. The power Jack lifts

 

 

the rail to the required height

and some ballast material is

Figure 11.

shovelled or forked under the

tie to temporarily hold it to grade. The lifting crew

usually operates about 200 to 300 feet ahead of the tamp-

ing machine. The method of setting the rails to the right

height varies, but one method of doing this will be de-
-35-

scribed below. . q _

A straight board long enough to extend from the
grade stake to a point on the opposite side of the track
is placed in position about 200 feet ahead of the Jack‘
with one end on the grade stake andthe other supported
on an adjustable levelling leg. A marking is placed ex:
actly one foot above the bottom of the board. Behind the
Jack where the track has already been lifted to grade,
the foreman sets his "peep-sight”. This consists merely
of an arm.which can be set on the rail witha small hole
exactly one foot above the rail. The foreman looks
through this sight ahead to the marking on the grade
board and directs the lifting crew until the marking on
the jack (ale) one foot above the rail) comes level with
his line of sight. f

Meanwhile the tamping machine is banging away at the
ballast with its powerful pounding action, forcing the
relenting ballast to a solidfinished surface.

The track will require about four such surfacing lifts--
two of about seven inches and five inches respectively for
the sub-ballast and two each of six inches for the place-
ment of the top-ballast. Higher lifts will usually re-
sult in too great a distribution of pressure throughout
the bottom.layers of the ballast, and soft spots will us-_
ually develop to increase the future costs of maintenance.

Previously it was necessary to allow a considerable

-35-

.n x
sflu

tc

1'6

qu

time to elapse between successive surfacing lifts to
assure thorough compaction from the vibration from the
passing trains. The useof the new automatic tempers
will reduc such "light traffic" time to a minimum and
perhaps eventually eliminate its necessity altogether.

It is highly Possible to imagine three or four of the
tamping machines and surfacing crews in successive op-
eration along the line separated only by the ballast-lay-
ing work train and a few thousand feet of idle track.

The final operation in finishing the Job is the
shoulder dressing procedure. The machines such as the
Jordan Spreader-Ditcher, as previously described in the
machinery section, is brought to the line and.the aprons
set to the predetermined slopes of the roadfsection.
laborers follow behind to touch up the work and remove
the excess ballast from the roadway. If any drainage
ditches are required along the way the ditch-cutting
tool of the Jordan machine is lowered into position.

The successive combination of all of these operations
results in a trackbed which is exceptional in both riding

quality and appearance.

REBALLASTING OPERATIONS

Reballasting a railroad line is like shining a
pair of shoes---it gives a superior finish to either a
new or an old one. This “polish" is added about every
two or three years by most of the better railroads.

Use of the new ballast cleaning machines accomplishes
the same purpose with the added advantage that the old
grade line is more nearly maintained.

The ballast is dumped in the middle and along the
side of the track as in the ballasting operation by the
use of the side-center bottomedump cars. It should be
spread to”a uniform.depth and at places where excessive
lifts are required, the engineering crew should provide
marking in order to allow an additional amount of ballast
for the lift.

.A profile of the track surface is run prepatory to
reballaating in order to avoid excessive lifts (and the
consequent nOn-uniformity of compaction) when the new .
grade line is established. This grade line is established
by allowing a lift averaging from.2 to 4 inches for crushed
stone ballast. At tunnels, grade separations, underpasses,
and street crossings it is necessary usually to keep the
lift to a minimum. A gradual runoff is therefore necessary
and pneumatic tempers are sometimes used for touching up
these small lifts.

-38-

The lifting of the track structure and the subse-_
quent tamping operations are accomplished the same as in

the original ballasting operations.

STATION BALLASTING

Station areas are necessarily surrounded by many imp
pervious man-made structures‘sucr as unloading docks,
concrete runways, and buildings, which add to the problem
of drainage by shedding most of the rainfall to the nears
by tracks. The ballast material is additionally taxed by
the fact that it is more quickly fouled in spots by the
"braking" sand dropped in large quantities by the loco-
motives stopping et the station. This sand is usually
accompanied by the drippings from the locomotives and the '
other cars. The immediate result is that the water usually
stands in puddles around the ties which results in rapid
deterioration and constant maintenance attention.

Most railroads solve this problem by a method sime
ilar to the one used by New‘York Central. _A report on
this method was prepared by J. R. scoffield, Assistant
District Engineer for the Michigan Central Railroad in
which he eXplains the solution.

"Formerly the two main passengertracks of the New‘
York Central at its South Bend (Indiana) station required
an excessive amount of attention by the maintenance forces
to keep them in a satisfactory condition. Now, however,
as the result of a combination of measures applied in
September of 1945, the cost of maintaining these tracks
has been greatly reduced. The measures employed included

-4 O-

 

the installation of asphalt coated ballast, the laying
of continuous butt-welded rails, and the provision of a
drainage system for disposing of surface water.

‘For a number of years the New York Central System
has given careful consideration to the possibilities of
correcting bad track conditions in station areas by using
ballast coated with emulsified asphalt, the reasoning
being that such ballast would be impervious to water and
yet could by worked when necessary. As early as 1939, a
test installation of such ballast was made in a 600 ft.
length of the company's high-speed east bound main track
at Bryan, Ohio. The performance of this test section
has been carefully observedby the railroad and a sub-
committee of the Committee on Roadway and Ballast of the
A. R. E. A. and the results of these observations have
been recorded by the committee in its annual report to
the Association. In a report made to the convention in_.
1943, the Committee observed that "the track does not heave
due to frost; the seal coat sheds water readily, retains
foreign-matter and prevents it from getting into the bal-
last. The track in the test section rides well, remains
in good line and surface and continues to give satisfact-
ory results with a minimum.of expenditure."

Based on the results of tests at Bryan, it was de-
cided to install in the two main passenger tracks asphalt
coated ballast for the approximate lengths of the two

-41-

 

concrete island platforms which were on either side of

the main line (each of which was 1200 feet long), employs
ing such refinements as were indicated by experience with
the Bryan Test. As additional measures to reduce mainten-
ance costs it was decided to eliminate practically all ‘
of the Joints in the two tracks by installing continuous
butt-welded rails and to provide an efficient drainage
system for removing surface water.

In preparation for doing the work, an arrangement
was made with a contractor to provide a one cubic yard
VKoehring paver for mixing the ballast and asphalt, the
latter consisting of Texaco No. 23 emulsified asphalt.

. Work on the west bound track was done first. After the
old rails and ties had beenremoved from.this track, the
roadbed, which had become consolidated almost to the
hardness of concrete, was excavated to a depth of about
twelve inches below the bottoms of the ties, exposing
the original sand fill subgrade. The subgrade was fin-
ished by hand.after which it was compacted by a lO-ton
roller.

When the subgrade had been fully prepared, the as-
phalt ballast mixture was unloaded from the cars standing
on the east bound track and spread over tie subgrade to
a depth of 9% inches. The unloading work was done with
a crawler crane equipped with a clamshell bucket.

The mixture consisted of two parts of 2-inch stone

 

and one part of 3/1 inch graded stone, to which was added
an average of 20 gallons of the asphalt emulsion. The
crushed stone in the mixture consisted of a limestone
that is regularly used by New York Central for ballast.

After the rails were replaced a'seal coat about two
inches thick was applied over the entire ballast area be-
tween the platforms, including the inter-track space.
This coat was a mixture of 25 per cent sand, 75 per cent
of 3/4 inch screenings thoroughly mixed with aspEalt
emulsion and was graded to drain surface water to the
inter-track space where a drainage system.had previous-
ly bee provided.. A final step to assure that no water 7
would penetrate the surface consisted of applying a brush
coat of a rich mixture of sand and asphalt emulsion over i
’the entire ballast surface. I

The drainage system that was installed as part of
the project embodies nine catch basins covered_with metal
gratings, six of which are located at intervals in the
inter-track space. A system of outfall lines connects
the catch basins with existing manholes at two street
underpasses in the vicinity. A

In October of 1946, more than a year after the as-
phalt ballast was installed at South Bend, repairs were
made by tamping the track with pneumatic tempers at loose
ties axd elsewhere to bring low places back to grade. Ad-
ditional asphalt coated screenings were applied where

 

necessary after liquid asphalt had been placed around,
the ties for sealing purposes. A final seal coat of fine
stone chips mixed with a cut-back asphalt was applied
over the area between the platforms. The cut-back as-
phalt was used because it seemed to be more resistant to
the drippings than the other asphalt.

The combination of these operations has produced

track that requires very little maintenance."9

 

SUMMARY

The railroads now live in a period of increased
competition for survival. They are being rivalled by
airplane and bus in their quest for the better means of
long-distance transportation;

There is an increased need for increasing comfort
and decreasing fares to the all-important cash customer.
Speed is a necessity. These seemingly insurmountable
problems are being met and attacked by the infantry of
the railroad---the maintenance forces. Their more ef-
ficient method of attending to the ballast operations
has resulted in a smoother, safer, more comfortable .
high-speed ride. They are cutting costs considerably
which will eventually be reflected in the price column
of the patron's ticket.

Thus. if the railroad finally desires to find some-
one to thank for their prolonged life, they must pay a_
great share of their gratitude to those cf the ballast and
ballasting crews for a Job well done.

-45-

 

'1. 1

J

A’PPENP IX
1. Railway Classification

The following classification of railways is based on
tonnage and on maximum.speed of passenger trains and is
the one used by the American Railway Engineering Associ-
ation as the basis for recommended practice in the con-
struction of roadbed, dimensions and quality of ballast,
cross-sections, etc.

Class ”A" shall include all districts of a railroad
having more than one main track, or those districts of a
railway having a single main track with 5 traffic that
equals or exceeds the following: Freight car mileage.
passing over thedistrict per year per mile, 150,000; or,
Passenger car mileage per year per mile of district,
10,000; with a Maximum speed of passenger trains of 50
miles per hour.

Class "B” shall include all districts of a railway
having a single main track with a traffic that is less
than the minimum prescribed for Class “A", and that equals
or exceeds the following: Freight car mileage passing over
the district per year per mile, 50,000; with a maximum
speed of passenger trains of 40 miles per hour.

Class "C" shall include all districts of a railway
not meeting the traffic requirements of Class "A" or ”B".10
2. Ballast Definitions

Chats.---Tailings from mills in wrich zinc. lead,

-45-

 

silver, and other ores are separated from the rocks in
which they occur.

Chert.---An impure flint or hornstone occurring in
natural deposits.

Cinders.---The residue from the coal used in locomo-
tives and other furnaces.

Clay (Burnt).---A clay or gumbo which has been burned
into materizl for ballast.

Granite (Disintegrated).---A natural deposit of gran-
ite formation, which cn removal from its bed by blasting
or otherwise, breaks into particles of size suitable for
ballast.

Gravel.---Pit Pun. Worn fragments of rock, occurring
in natural deposits.

Gravel.---Screen. Worn fragments of rock, occurring
in natural deposits, that will pass through a 2fi-inch ring
and be retained upon a No. 10 screen.

Gumbo.---A term commonly used for peculiarly ten-
acious clay, containing no sand.

Sand.---Any hard, granular, comminuted rock which will
pass thrcugh a Nt. 10 Screen and be retained on a No. 50
screen.

Slag.--- The waste product, in a more or less vitrified
form, of blast furnaces, for the reduction of ore; usually

the product of a blast furnace.

 

 

 

Stone.---Stone broken by artificial means into small

fragments of specified sizes.

-48-

 

10.

REFERENCES

Raymond, W. 0., Elements of Railroad Engineering
JOhn Wiley and Sons, New York

Protzeller, H. W., The Why and How of Ballast Cleaning
Railway Engineering and Maintenance, January, 1947

American Railroad in LaboratOry
American Railway Association, Chicago, Illinois

Rebuilding the Moffat Railroad
Railway Gazette, December, 1937
Engineering News-Record, September, 1937

Engineering Is Playing Its Part in Design and Strength
of Track Structure
Railway Age, June, 1941

Sellew, W. H., Railway Maintenance Engineering
D Van Nostrand Co., New‘York

Railway Maintenance Encyclopedia, 1945
Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp., Chicago

Power Ballaster machine '
Modern Railroads, October, 1946

Scoffield, J. R., How Station Track Upkeep Was Cut
Railway Age, April, 1947

American Civil Engineers' Handbooky Merriman-Wiggins
John Wiley and Sons, Fifth.Edition-1947

Additional References and Citations

American Rzilway Engineering Association Committee Report

on Roadway and Ballast--Railway Age, March, 1946

American Railway Engineering Association manual

maintenance Expenditures,1MQQH..Dick

Railway Age, January, 1947

Uncle Sam Builds a RailroadIFasti

Railway Age, June, 1941

-49-

 

Fundamental Changes in Construction
Railway Engineering and Maintenance, June, 1941

-Also to a number of railroad engineers,including the.
following, a great debt of gratitude for the valuable ad-
vise and contributions.

H. D. Richardson, Executive of the Pullman Standard Co.
F. H. Philbrick, Designer of the Power Ballaster
R. L. Ravey. Representative of the Switzerland.Matisa Co.

D. E. Dresselhouse, Engineer for New'York Central, Chicago

nr. Rodman, President of the Maintenance Equipment Corp.

 

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