Re: C&TS Ballast and cinders

A good way to seperate cinders from good quality stone is to use a membrane between the two. Unfortunately this would involve removing the rails and sleepers, levelling the cinders, and laying the membrane. Then laying about three inches of stone before replacing the sleepers and rails, then dumping a load more stone before lifting, lining and tamping. To give the tamper something to work with you need about 6" of ballast which equates to about 1600 tons per mile............. Before you start boxing up and putting in the shoulders which would probably double that amount so say about 3000 tons per mile to give a first class roadbed with a life of about 25 years on minimal maintenance even allowing for used ties. Granite would be best but is not fun if working manually but limestone will probably do as well.
G