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Sold by the ton

Railroad Ballast

4.91,916 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· 1,916 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 1,916 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★
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1★
0

Barry M.

4 months ago
Verified

On time. Very nice gentleman who delivered it

June 15, 2026

Michael M.

4 months ago
Verified

Great communication, fast delivery, will definitely use them again

Customer photo 1
Customer photo 1
June 12, 2026

Kim S.

4 months ago
Verified

I work for an industrial construction company that deals with a lot of civil work, and I'm very accustomed to building a proper base with specific materials on projects we work on. The people at Hello Gravel were very pleasant to deal with. Prices are good. Unfortunately, the product I asked for wasn't available after paying for it, but they worked hard at ensuring I had a suitabe alternative. In the end, it all worked well, and the staff were very attentive. Lots of operators would not have gone through the trouble they did to make sure I was happy as a customer. Hello Gravel did

June 11, 2026

Christopher N.

4 months ago
Verified

Great job.

Customer photo 1
Customer photo 1
June 11, 2026

Patricia B.

4 months ago
Verified

From ordering online, communication, to delivery everything was outstanding! Highly recommend Hello Gravel and will definitely use again.

Customer photo 1Customer photo 2
Customer photo 1
Customer photo 2
June 5, 2026

Priority m.

4 months ago
Verified

Got everything delivered on time, very time efficient. Love the service.

Customer photo 1
Customer photo 1
June 3, 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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