ADM4 said:

"A substantial part of this problem--not just for the BSM, but for CSX, NS, and the entire Northeast--is the invasion and proliferation of one of the worst "junk" or "weed" trees about in North America, the "tree of heaven" or Ailanthus altissima"

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That stuff is terrible; it's also known up here in New England as "sumac", at least by the weed/brush spray guys we use.

Some other scourges are Catalpa trees, which suddenly sprout like weeds, and another introduced plant-- Japanese Knotweed, aka "bamboo" or "fleece flower" (again, the spray guys' term for it). That stuff will grow up through 6 inches of asphalt, and seems to grow about 6-8 inches per day.

And then we have Black Locust, which will throw off sparks when you touch the brush blade to it. That stuff will dull a chain saw in minutes.

Weed spray the track every spring and brush spray the R-O-W every 3-4 years and the bad stuff, the nasty brush and weed trees, can be kept at bay without major hand cutting all the time.

Howard P.

The invasive species of concern at WRM is yellow star thistle.

We spend about $16K per year for professional weed spraying of our entire ROW (except for the western end which is blocked by a burned-out trestle). It's fairly effective near the track, but where the spray doesn't reach the thistle is quite happy.

From the NPS website I referenced:


The "environmentalist" part of me doesn't want to take down vegetation willy-nilly. Even when clearing brush for a Carl Franz photo special, I've made arguments for leaving at least some trees in. "Scorched earth" when it comes to the "tree of heaven;" live-and-let-live when it comes to a native elm, chestnut, chokecherry, etc.

Black locust is a mixed bag. It's a thorny danged thing, regarded as "self-pruning," and it tends to grow where you don't want it (thorny branches up near the car windows, anyone?), but it's a sturdy tree that doesn't go without a fight, as Brother Pincus remarked. I grew up around plenty of black locusts, and I was amazed at how easily other trees could be cut...... The "tree of heaven," on the other hand, snaps if you look at it funny. The chain saws cutting the one that fell out back chewed through a ten-inch limb in as many seconds. The stuff is considered too soft and smelly for even pulpwood or paper.

Perhaps the biggest overall problem with vegetation for us? The "Tunnel of Trees" effect. I can't begin to count the number of excursion lines I've been on where, because of unregulated foliage, almost the entire trip is nothing but close-ups of tree leaves except in winter. I hate to say it, but I think that very syndrome marks the pointed difference between the best of the excursion operation rides in the East--Strasburg, East Broad Top, etc.--and the "others" (you know who you are; I don't need to name names). If your passengers think "branch line" refers to what keeps flashing and poking through your open windows or scratching the paint on the sides of your cars, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. That, as much as anything (dirty restrooms, lackadaisical staff, etc.) may keep people from returning or recommending your ride to others.

Siberian Elm in W. Texas. Ballast seems to be ideal growing conditions.

"What is a weed? .... A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Fortune of the Republic

Kudzu.

dave

In California, we are required by fire regulations to have totally bare dirt 10 ft each side of the rails. This really "helps" erosion when we get a lot of rain. Fortunately, from this perspective anyway, that doesn't happen too often in our area. Worst weed: Russian Thistle, aka Tumbleweed.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have lots of moisture, so lots of invasive species.

Alder trees grow like a weed, which can be a virtue if you're looking for pulp trees, but it's a hassle along the right of way. Cottonwood is another junk species that's annoying.

Scotch Broom is also very common, especially along railroad right of ways and in barren areas. A lot like a tumbleweed, aside from having flowers of a brilliant yellow in the spring, it's not much use at all, and very hard to kill.