Unlike commercial trucking that uses highways built and maintained by the public, railroads must procure, build and maintain their own trackage systems.  The rail bed is composed of the prepared foundation, rock ballast, ties and rail.  In addition to the rail bed itself, numerous structures are part of any rail system.  Railway structures encompass a wide array of construction intended to support the track itself or house railway operations.  Common examples of track carrying structures are bridges, trestles, culverts, inspection pits and unloading facilities. Ancillary structures include switches, drainage lines, retaining walls, tunnels, buildings and loading docks.

The Buckingham Branch track and structures crews, supported by BB inspectors, construct, upgrade and maintain the track system.  Ongoing track upgrade projects typically involve the replacement of 1,000 ties and 600 tons of ballast per mile of track, as well as curve patch work and installation of upgraded rail, including continuous weld rail.  On the Richmond & Alleghany Division alone, over the last 14 years, the BB has installed 190,000 new ties and more than 115,000 tons of ballast.