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The track bed or trackbed is the groundwork onto which a
The track bed or trackbed is the groundwork onto which a railway track
A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleeper ...
is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links.
According to Network Rail
Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an "arm's len ...
, the trackbed is the layers of ballast
Ballast is material that is used to provide stability to a vehicle or structure. Ballast, other than cargo, may be placed in a vehicle, often a ship or the gondola of a balloon or airship, to provide stability. A compartment within a boat, ship ...
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,, p. 386. the area left after a track has been dismantled and the ballast removed or the track formation beneath the ballast and above the natural ground.
The trackbed can significantly influence the performance of the track, especially ride quality
Ride quality refers to a vehicle's effectiveness in insulating the occupants from undulations in the road surface (e.g., bumps or corrugations).
A vehicle with good ride quality provides a comfort for the driver and passengers.
Importance
Good r ...
of passenger services.
See also
*Embankment (transportation)
A road, railway line, or canal is normally raised onto an embankment made of compacted soil (typically clay or rock-based) to avoid a change in level required by the terrain, the alternatives being either to have an unacceptable change in lev ...
* Roadbed
* Subgrade
References