This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of tamping operations on ballasted railway tracks, with a particular focus on the influence of key tamping parameters and external factors. The results demonstrate that optimizing operational parameters can significantly improve tamping effectiveness, thereby extending maintenance intervals, reducing maintenance costs, and increasing infrastructure availability. Furthermore, a methodology was developed that enables the assessment of ballast condition during tamping operations. This provides critical information for infrastructure asset management while simultaneously establishing an essential foundation for the automation of the tamping process.