Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

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makinsmoke
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by makinsmoke »

We switched from 1/2” to 3/4” ballast with fines a couple of years ago on the C&IG. The staying and holding power of the 3/4” is way better than the 1/2”. It resists washing out much better than the 1/2”.

And it’s cheaper.
RONALD
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by RONALD »

Yep, location is everything, but it was not the location so much as the ground up concrete had not really settled and allowed grass to grow along its bank facing the water, that may have helped; I still do not like the recycled concrete.

The fill was replaced with Grade 9, and now that the banks have vegetation, the culvert is doing the job.

We have pretty much given up any testing of different ballasts, and are using just Grade 9 CA6 gravel.

The Grade 9 we buy is made from alluvial glacial deposits and consist of all kinds of stones plus sand, it compacts nicely.
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OddDuck
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by OddDuck »

For comparison, just got this pile delivered yesterday, 5 yards of 3/4" washed, delivered, $170. Local company, and very prompt service, so no complaints. Bangor Maine area, by the way. I checked with another company and the price was over $200 per 5 yard load.
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SteveM
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by SteveM »

I just got back from the stone supplier for stones for a walkway, and the price for a 5-gallon bucket went from $4 to $5.

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rkcarguy
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by rkcarguy »

OddDuck wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 9:54 am For comparison, just got this pile delivered yesterday, 5 yards of 3/4" washed, delivered, $170. Local company, and very prompt service, so no complaints. Bangor Maine area, by the way. I checked with another company and the price was over $200 per 5 yard load.
I don't think the product itself is up all that much, trucking is another issue though.
One of the companies I deal with, breaks it out. $XX per ton and then $XXX for the truck to and from. So its obviously more economical to get a full truck with transfer (28-35 tons) if you can use it all.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Ryan, Down here (Seattle) Cadman aggregate just quoted $31.60/ton for 3/4” minus, plus $300 per load for the truck. So nearly $600 per 10 yard load. We need 250 yards minimum for 3000’ ROW. Half the cost is in the trucking. (Based on 1 yd = 1.4tons)

One thing all the yards said is one long trailer carrying 28-30yards cuts the cost by 1/3 formthe trucking. Unfortunately, we can’t get a long trailer into the parcel we are looking at. So only can use dumptrucks. It’s a killer, unless we can find someone to volunteer to haul the gravel in.

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makinsmoke
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by makinsmoke »

You don’t want it washed, imho. You want the fines in there. Helps lock everything together.

Garden path? Check.

Railroad right of way? Include fines.
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by OddDuck »

The price breakdown was $27/ yd, $30 delivery charge. He can only deliver 5 yards at a time, but he's a local guy with extremely good service. Ordered it in the morning and it was delivered that afternoon. So, I suppose I shouldn't complain too much. Luckily my layout is not going to be huge, so I will probably need around 35 to 40 yards.
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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by Glenn Brooks »

makinsmoke wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 6:43 am You don’t want it washed, imho. You want the fines in there. Helps lock everything together.

Garden path? Check.

Railroad right of way? Include fines.
Good to hear. Our estimate was for club RR ballast and gravel . fines is a bit cheaper than screened and washed.
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makinsmoke
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by makinsmoke »

Be sure and look into 3/4” vs 1/2”.
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thanks, yes, 3/4 is what they offer. For some reason they also call it 5/8” minus. No idea why... but it seems to be pretty standard around the PNW.

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rkcarguy
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Re: Ballast / Crushed Stone Pricing is up, uP, UP

Post by rkcarguy »

If you have wood ties, I would not sit them directly on/in gravel with fines. Real RR's place their tracks on raised beds of clear rock, as it drains and keeps the ties dry. I really like the 3/8" clear myself, but on elevated surfaces it floats around too much in heavy rain so a compromise would be 5/8-3/4 clear. If you want to save some $$$ and still get good drainage, a bed of 3/4 or 5/8 minus with a thin topping of clear gravel should do the trick, then use clear gravel between the ties and during tamping/leveling. I only want to grade my RR ROW once, so I'll be contouring as needed with a mini-excavator, compacting pit run where needed, then weed/driveway cloth, then 3/4" clear gravel.
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