Question

__________ forms the trackbed upon which railroad ties (sleepers) are laid.

(a) Track ballast

(b) Concrete ballast

(c) Rail ballast

(d) Wooden ballast

I have been asked this question during a job interview.

The above asked question is from Railway Line in division Road Estimating, Sanitary and Water Supply Work of Civil Engineering Drawing

Answer 1

Right choice is (a) Track ballast

Best explanation: It is packed between, below, and around the ties. It is used to bear the load from the railroad ties, to facilitate drainage of water, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track structure. This also serves to hold the track in place as the trains roll by. It is typically made of crushed stone, although ballast has sometimes consisted of other, less suitable materials, for example burnt clay. The term “ballast” comes from a nautical term for the stones used to stabilize a ship.