RE: [CBQ] Chat or Chatt or Chatts

["GLEN glenehaug@msn.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
From: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wed, 21 May 2014 17:31:45 -0700
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Alignment Chart for Illinois Junction through Burlington and 
West Burlington














 

 



  


    
      
      
      Sorry about the lack of knowledge, but what is "chatts"?    Roy: The Q 
used the term "chatts" to designate ballast that was crushed stone, and to 
differentiate it from gravel, which had rock that was more pebble-like and less 
fractured. Chat was smaller than crushed rock ballast, which also was fully 
fractured, but consisted of larger rock.  Crushed rock was usually 1.5" to 2" 
size, whereas chat might be 1/2" or 3/4" size.  Sometimes because of the way 
ballast was graded off the crusher, crushed rock ballast might contain some 
chat, but chat usually would not contain the larger crushed rock. I think that 
"chatts" might be a term used more by Southern railroads.  The Frisco used the 
term, but the GN and NP did not. Glen Haug