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Sold by the ton

Railroad Ballast

4.91,898 verified Hello Gravel reviews

Large angular crushed stone (1½"-2½") originally cut for railroad track beds. Now a workhorse for heavy drainage, equipment pads, and rugged industrial sites.

4.9· 1,898 verified reviews11,821 deliveries · 50 states

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Product Specifications

Size
1½" – 2½"
Shape
Angular
Weight
~2,800 lbs per cubic yard
Coverage (4" deep)
~75 sq ft per ton
Compaction
Self-supporting — heavy load capacity
Minimum Order
1 ton

Best For

Heavy drainageEquipment padsIndustrial sitesErosion control
“We chose a delivery date. The driver dropped it exactly where I asked. I had never ordered gravel in my life.”
Kelly O’Brien · 5★ · one of 1,898 verified reviews

Why Choose This Product

Heavy-Duty

Sized for serious load-bearing — built to handle anything.

Excellent Drainage

Big voids let water move fast under pressure.

Long-Lasting

Won't break down or wash away under heavy traffic.

Delivery Included

Free delivery right to your driveway. No rental trucks needed.

How Delivery Works

1

Browse Products

Explore our range of gravel, stone, and landscaping materials.

2

Calculate Amount

Use our calculator to find exactly how much you need.

3

Schedule Delivery

Pick a delivery date that works for your project timeline.

4

Delivered to Your Door

We deliver right to your driveway or job site.

Common Uses

Drainage Projects

Open voids handle high-volume water flow without clogging.

Equipment & RV Pads

A stable, mud-free pad that won't rut under heavy machinery.

Industrial Yards

Holds up to forklift, truck, and container traffic in working yards.

Erosion Control

Heavy enough to stay put around culverts, slopes, and drainage outlets.

Material calculator

Estimate how much railroad ballast you need

Tell us the area and depth, and we'll work out the tons plus your delivered price.

Area shape

Dimensions

Depth

Your estimate

Enter your area to see the math

Pick a material, shape and dimensions and we'll calculate the tons you need plus your delivered price.

Compare Materials

Railroad BallastCurrent selection

Railroad Ballast

Size1½" – 2½"
ShapeAngular
MaterialVaries depending on location
Weight~2,800 lbs per cubic yard
Coverage (4" deep)~75 sq ft per ton
ColorVaries depending on location
CompactionSelf-supporting — heavy load capacity
Minimum Order1 ton
Coverage (2" deep)—
Delivery—
Best For
Heavy drainageEquipment padsIndustrial sitesErosion control
Drain Rock

Drain Rock

SizeVaries depending on location
ShapeAngular
MaterialVaries depending on location
Weight~2,800 lbs per cubic yard
Coverage (4" deep)—
ColorVaries depending on location
Compaction—
Minimum Order1 ton
Coverage (2" deep)~100 sq ft per ton
DeliveryDump truck, directly to your location
Best For
French drainsRetaining wallsFoundation drainageDry wells

Ballast and #4 crushed stone overlap heavily — pick whichever your local supply yard stocks. For very heavy erosion control, step up to riprap.

What customers say

4.92(203 reviews)
See all 203 reviews →

What customers say

Hello Gravel excels at smooth ordering and responsive communication, though delivery consistency and accuracy issues concern some customers.

Most mentioned

Easy ordering processResponsive communicationOn-time delivery
5★
9
4★
1
3★
0
2★
0
1★
0

Kimberly B.

2 months ago
Verified

Easy to work with, order is filled right away, even same day. Friendly.

July 15, 2026

Josie O.

3 months ago
Verified

I was very impressed with the communication and how quickly I could have the pea gravel delivered. The website is easy to navigate also.

July 8, 2026

Muhammad M.

3 months ago
Verified

It was ordered and delivered smoothly due to the great help from the staff ( Tereza ).

July 8, 2026

Muhammad M.

3 months ago
Verified

It was ordered and delivered smoothly by the help of the staff ( Tereza ).

July 8, 2026

Michael R.

3 months ago
Verified

Ordered online and Helen reached out shortly after to confirm the order sent photos of the product to make sure that is what I wanted very professional easy to deal with and delivered when they said they would

July 1, 2026

Scott D.

3 months ago
Verified

Very helpful. On time

June 26, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Use our built-in calculator on this page — enter the length, width, and depth of your project area, and we'll calculate the exact amount. As a general rule, 1 ton of material covers about 100 square feet at 2 inches deep.

We deliver directly to your driveway or project site using a dump truck. Just choose your delivery date and time window (AM or PM) during checkout. Next-day delivery is available on orders placed before noon.

Yes! Delivery is included in the price you see — no hidden fees, no surprises. The price per ton (or yard) you see is the price you pay, delivered.

The minimum order is typically 1 ton (or 1 cubic yard for mulch and soil products). Our pricing gets better with larger quantities — a full truckload (18 tons) gives you the best per-unit price.

Due to the nature of bulk materials, we cannot accept returns once delivered. We recommend using our calculator to get the right amount — it's better to order slightly more than to run short mid-project.

Railroad Ballast is large angular crushed stone — typically 1½" to 2½" — sized to lock together and drain heavily under load. The exact size is in the spec table above.

For driveways and parking areas, we recommend a 4-6 inch base of compacted road base or #610 underneath your surface gravel. This prevents sinking and extends the life of your project.

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