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Stupid question from a software person: Why don't they just pour cement, epoxy, or tar over all the stones to fix them in place, fill in the gaps, and prevent d
by dheera 3y ago
Stupid question from a software person: Why don't they just pour cement, epoxy, or tar over all the stones to fix them in place, fill in the gaps, and prevent dirt from getting in them?
- tedunangst 3y agoHow does the water drain through them?
- dheera 3y agoAgain here's my software mind: (a) If you fill all the gaps, water can't get in in the first place, and it doesn't need to drain. Abstract out the problem. (b) If water can still get in, it can also get out.
- grishka 3y agoExcept sometimes water falls out of the sky and it needs to drain somewhere.
- dermesser 3y agoThe rocks also need to be able to move a bit for elasticity, and have sharp edges. For that you also replace a part of the ballast every few years. That's hard to do when everything is sealed. Even with such "glue", the lifetime couldn't be eternal, after all.
- micromacrofoot 3y agowater snow and ice will readily destroy anything solid, better to drain it away - this is partially why roads need constant repaving
- panick21_ 3y agoThree is this thing called slab track, and that's essentially what you are talking about, just without any stones. https://grn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC00856-1024x768.jpg https://grn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/D... Truly almost all new lines should be built this way, its simply a far, far better method. Slightly higher capital cost but far less maintenance.