Ballast under pressure

[pyrofella]

That's what ballast is supposed to do

[TEMPLE7D]

Jointed rail sounds better, all they need is reenforced concrete ties and good ballast and you can keep the jointed rails

[arlingtontrains7]

they should weld that joint

[crusader2109]

the horn didn't sound properly :(

[oscarbooo]

I would say the rail joint is taking more of the strain. Here in the uk we don't have railway joints the rails are welded together so less strain.