In a method for the continuous renewal of a ballast bed (41) of a track from which the rails and sleepers have been removed, by carrying away old ballast (42) and depositing cleaned ballast or new ballast (44) on the underlying surface (46) from which the old ballast (42) has been removed, a removal device (22) which can travel in the working direction (x) continuously picks up the old ballast (42) of the ballast bed (41). The excavated material is conveyed away from the excavation area and possibly passed on for ballast cleaning At the same time, cleaned ballast or new ballast (44) is continuously deposited in the working direction (x) on the underlying surface (46) from which the old ballast (42) has been removed, to form a new ballast bed (43). The removal device (22), as part of an excavating machine (10) traveling in the working direction (x) on the old ballast bed (41), is arranged downstream of the running gear (14, 16) of the excavating machine (10).