The rapid expansion of Hungary’s infrastructure projects, especially in railway construction, has significantly increased the demand for crushed stone. Both national and EU-funded initiatives have strained supply chains, resulting in logistical challenges and material shortages. With limited domestic production capacity, efficient resource management is crucial to keeping projects on track. This paper evaluates Hungary’s supply chain for crushed stone, identifying key weaknesses and proposing solutions to enhance sustainability. Purpose. This study investigates the logistical and supply chain difficulties in delivering crushed stone for Hungary’s railway infrastructure projects. It evaluates current supply limitations, proposes ways to improve domestic resource management, and offers strategies to reduce reliance on imports while emphasizing sustainability. Methodology. The research applies Geographic Information System (GIS) modeling to analyze transportation routes for crushed stone, suggesting ways to streamline logistics. It examines the production capacities of Hungarian quarries, some producing 15,000–25,000 tons monthly, and assesses the impact of European and Hungarian regulations on material quality and availability. The potential for integrating recycled materials into the supply chain is also explored. Findings. Hungary’s domestic quarries cannot meet the high demand for railway ballast, estimated at 192,000 tons annually, leading to import reliance. GIS modeling shows optimized transportation routes could cut costs and carbon emissions. Incorporating smaller stone fractions and recycled materials could mitigate shortages, with recycled materials potentially comprising 40 % of railway ballast. Originality. By integrating geological, logistical, and regulatory insights, this paper provides novel approaches for addressing Hungary’s crushed stone supply chain challenges. The use of GIS modeling and recycled materials offers innovative solutions for reducing environmental impacts. Practical value. The findings present actionable strategies for improving Hungary’s supply chain efficiency, promoting recycling, and optimizing logistics. These solutions are applicable to Hungary and other regions facing similar infrastructure material supply challenges.

In Hungary, quarries that produce stone products for wearing courses of asphalt pavements also produce a significant amount of 0/4, 0/8 and 4/8 mm fractions. Because of Hungary’s pavement design and asphalt production practices, these fractions do not have a suitable market and can thus be sold on alternative markets. Purpose. To demonstrate the feasibility of using crushed fractions of 0/4 and 0/8 mm in the protection and base layers of asphalt pavements instead of sandy gravel with 0/22 mm fraction. Methodology. The CBR method was applied to evaluate the comparability of characteristics such as particle size distribution and loadbearing capacity. The combination of the Proctor and CBR tests allowed someone to compare the expected technological characteristics of the dominant and alternative aggregate types, such as their sensitivity to water and loadbearing capacity. Findings. The results demonstrated that the performance characteristics of conventionally used sandy gravel with a size of 0/22 mm can be achieved and exceeded by crushed material with much smaller maximum grain sizes – i.e., 0/4 and 0/8 mm. Originality. The paper presents an original study that contradicts the industry’s actual decline of crushed stone (0/4 and 0/8 mm fractions) for asphalt pavement protection layers. The potential effectiveness and functionality of the proposed coating are demonstrated through convincing tests, and thus new data and insights are introduced into the Hungarian construction industry’s practice. Practical value. The test results greatly helped in achieving the high demands of the private industrial project by proposing an alternative variant of crushed stone of 0/8 mm fraction rather than the originally planned dominant sand and gravel material. The asphalt paving experience on this site clearly demonstrated the viability of the alternative aggregate option for Hungarian roads.

This paper examines the sustainability of railways. A comprehensive international literature review was conducted on railway vehicles, traction, and railway permanent way. The main goal was to find the factors and parameters that affect railway sustainability the most. CO2 emissions from transportation, mining, raw material production, manufacturing, use, operation and maintenance, and demolition and restoration must be significantly reduced. Naturally, the attention will be on the considerable energy and financial savings. This article's main topics are sustainability, affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation, infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and life on land. Building materials come from quarries and gravel pits, but availability is decreasing. Future pavement construction and maintenance require recycling demolition and industrial waste. Engineers must choose materials and technology that extend track lifetimes to ensure reliability, availability, maintainability, safety, sustainability, and economy in permanent railroad ways. Life-cycle costs can be reduced, e.g., by Building Information Modeling. Electric machinery is preferred for construction equipment, materials, and management. Sustainability, like grassed tracks and recyclable plastics, has improved urban life. Sheet metal forming using recycled materials and sustainability shows how important environmental protection is in car and train design. Electric road and rail propulsion are driven by environmental concerns, while supercapacitors and batteries are studied. In conclusion, by preferring rail for freight and passenger transport, both for private and public transport, energy savings and CO2 emissions can be up to 2-10 times higher than for other modes of transport.