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Track bed

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Section through railway track and foundation showing the ballast and formation layers

The track bed or trackbed is the groundwork onto which a railway track is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links.

Background

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According to Network Rail, the trackbed is the layers of ballast and sub-ballast above a prepared subgrade/formation (see diagram). It is designed primarily to reduce the stress on the subgrade.

Other definitions include the surface of the ballast on which the track is laid,[1] the area left after a track has been dismantled and the ballast removed[1] or the track formation beneath the ballast and above the natural ground.[2]

The trackbed can significantly influence the performance of the track, especially ride quality of passenger services.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Ellis, Iain (2006). Ellis' British Railway Engineering Encyclopaedia. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-8472-8643-7., p. 386.
  2. ^ Jackson, Alan A. (2006). The Railway Dictionary (4th ed.). Sutton Publishing Ltd. p. 297. ISBN 0-7509-4218-5.