BALLAST

Ballast varied by region of the railroad and time period. The earlier the time the more local variation! Screenings is any thing from a rock crusher that will pass through a 3/4" screen ballast is any thing retained by a 3/4" screen and passes through a 3" screen ( Santa Fe definition )

IN GENERAL

Brownwood Rock - Scott limesone used on gulf lines in early days quarried at Browood,Texas

Burnt Gumbo - Brick color 1880's - 1910's - used were good quality brick clay present particularly on the Missouri Division in 1890's and Southern Knasas Division last reported making burnt gumbo in 1905 at Fredonia. Burnt Gumbo ballast still evident around Fredonia as a sub ballast layer. Origianlly Burnt Gumbo ballast was made on the spot by the section gangs burning ties being renewed to fire the available clay. Latter Burnt Gumbo was manufactured at gumbo quarrys and fired by company or contract forces then shipped out for use in track.

Cinders (Locomotive) - 1869 - 1950's black - Were coal fired locomotives were used cinders produced by them were abundent while not a very good ballast (to soft) it was cheap and available and used primarily on sidnings back tracks yards etc. but in the early years also on mainlines were better ballast not available.

Cinders (Valcanic) - 1880's - ? - Used were valcanic cinders were abundant particularly in Arizona along early A & P. materail was light and highly abrasive so was replaced with better rock in latter years.

Dirt - 1869 - 1970's Usually crown dressed i.e. heaped up in center of track above tie then sloping down leaving a gap for drainage under the rail, tie ends usually bare. Maintenance methode in dry season section would see the track was properly surfaced and dressed then before the rains came a work train would spread used oil (usually journal oil) on the track to "put a roof" on it. As neaded during the wet season section would drain the ties by cuting the dirt away from the tie ends so any water around the tie would drain out. The last branch line with crown dressed dirt ballast was abandoned in the 70's

Dougherty ( from Crusher, OK) rock - Limestone color "gray" 1910 - 1970's with Rayford rock which is nearly the same thing coming in the 70's to end of Santa Fe. circa 1970's and latter - used manily on GULF LINES

El Paso slag (precious metal slag - black) 1900's - 1960's- used on New Mexico Division branch lines.

Gallinas, NM - Quarried before 1903

Gravel - Obtained locally river or glacer in origin. not used when crushed rock available because gravel tended to have rounded stones which did not hold the track well.

Pueblo Slag (Blast furnace slag) - Dark Gray with many colors mixed in greens etc) was much used on the Eastern lines and parts of the Western Lines when Eastern Lines allowed.

Los Cerrillos, NM - Quarry, abandoned 1908

Lubbock, Texas Gypsum Quarry - Cheap ballast for branch lines, helped keep the weeds down.

Marlman, CO - 1925 - 1928

Mc Cook rock- Out of Chicago area (Limestone - off white rock) was used on the North end of the Eastern Lines.

Newberry rock - Used on coast lines quarred near Daggett, California. circa 1980's on.

Sias, NM rock - Used on Western Lines 1910 - 1930

Shipley, AZ rock (white limestone) - Was mostly used by Coast lines but occasionally Western Lines would get some.

Pedernal, NM (granite - pink rock) circa 1980's - Ballast Quary opened at Culebra ( in conguction with SP rebuilding of Tucumcari line) loaded at used in preference to Dougherty rock ( now from Rayford) on main lines Western Lines I thinik also made it out to Coast lines on occasion. Pueblo & El Paso slag no longer available.

Vaughn, NM - Quarry not used since 1916

Watrous, NM - Quarry not used since 1916

BALLAST RECORDS

I hold a few ballast records covering some of the Western lines Santa Fe as organized in the early 1960's.