Re: RGS Ballasting

Brian Norden Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One reason for have the native material "humped"
> in the center and the end of the ties exposed was
> to promote drainage away from the ties. This

> -- beginning with
> the end of the Civil War and continuing to the
> turn of the century or later.
>
Actually, even on the main lines of Class 1 rwys using rock for ballast, leaving the ends of the ties out to allow drainage was still common into the 1950's or so. Covering the ends of the ties became common when CWR became the norm and there were greater lateral pressures to be resisted.
As Earl said, the most common ballast on roads like the RGS was "native material" aka dirt. In some places, the Black Canyon on the Grande jumps to mind, there was a lot of rock in the local dirt ballast, but still 'twas dirt for most.
Even where rock was used, for ex: D&RG Sargent to Hierro(1883-4), Cimarron to Cedar Creek(1887), it usualy wasn't the crushed rock of today, more like gravel.
And yes, the RGS was indeed ballasted with dirt, or mud at some times of the year.
hank