3 ms·
...so many words and just at the end they comment on 'flooding' - whereas everyone knows that a top function of ballast is to prevent water buildup / facilitate
by x3874 3y ago
...so many words and just at the end they comment on 'flooding' - whereas everyone knows that a top function of ballast is to prevent water buildup / facilitate drainage.
- h2odragon 3y agoWaverly, TN had bad floods a couple years ago because their long span of train tracks around the bottom of the hill hadn't had its drainage maintained. The ballasted, built up tracks trapped a large volume of water which blew out finally and caused catastrophic flooding. The sheriff said he'd been complaining to the railroad for 2 years about the water building up, trying to get them to clean out the drains. That's an incredibly busy line tho. After the floods they had the train tracks back up and running in weeks, before some the roads through town. I'm told they built exactly the same plan that had been there before, inadequate drainage and all.
- x3874 3y ago"drainage" as in primarly preventing fouling of ties, not as in "preventing water buildup behind a trackbed". I would call that obvious, but maybe i have too diverse interests as to nit know this... For permitting regular water flow tru a trackbed: what culverts etc. are for.
- h2odragon 3y agoCulverts, aqueducts, etc, yes. It all has to be maintained. Even when it's designed well (and the current design is minimal); all those measures have to be kept clear of obstructions. In this case they were not, and very likely still are not.