Ballast
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Crushed stone or gravel placed beneath and around railway sleepers to distribute train loads, provide drainage, and resist lateral and longitudinal movement of the track. Ballasted track is the most common form of railway trackbed worldwide, though slab track is increasingly used on high-speed lines.
Related Terms
🛤️ Track & Infrastructure
Frequently Asked Questions
Ballast is a term used in the railway industry. Understanding this concept helps travelers navigate train services, schedules, and ticketing more effectively. See the full definition above for details.
Knowing what Ballast means can help passengers plan their journeys, understand announcements, and make informed decisions about routes, fares, and service types when traveling by train.
Several railway terms are closely related to Ballast. You can explore related concepts in the sidebar or browse the full TrainFYI glossary to deepen your understanding of rail terminology.