zscale.org · Saved

Do it Yourself in Z-scale: Laying and Ballasting Z-scale Track

www.zscale.org/articles/ballast.html

From the page

Saved with the link. Notes from 2007 to 2016 are mostly the page's own words, so this is probably an excerpt.

In real life, railroad ties do not simply lay on a field of grass, or on plastic roadbed. Ballast is used to help keep railroad ties from moving over time, as well as to provide sufficient drainage, all in an effort to ensure a resilient and sturdy roadbe