Western Railroad Discussion > Branches and Weeds

        Here is a photo I took in Moscow, Kansas yesterday on the Cimarron Valley. Looking east there are three switch stands in a row here, just a bit hard to find the third one in the weeds. I realized the shortlines have a tougher time having money to spend on weed control however - in the summer in this area, there are little critters down there in the weeds I would prefer not to meet up with. Even with a smaller budget it would be wise to kill these weeds around the switches early on so the employees have a better chance of not encountering one of our prairie rattlers.
        Most of the main is clear of weeds but places like this are covered. Even makes it difficult for an engineer to see where he is going and if it is safe to do so.  

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The weeds don't show up quite that abundantly every year but you have to admit that
it's a bit tough to do a decent track inspection when you can barely see the track.

Out

That looks like most of the Milwaukee Road track I remember.  In South Dakota, the Dakota Southern used to mow in summer sit bey could see the rails.

~Dave
 

Wow! Knew you had a wet spring and summer, but this is something else.. Slick rail for sure on the sidings and then the critters... 

Clarence

sd39 Wrote:
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> Wow! Knew you had a wet spring and summer
> Clarence

Yes, Friday night the 31 there was 5" of rain in Guymon and over on the west loop of the Lions Sunset Limited line we lost 50' of fill and ballast under the rail where we had raised it about 2' high to keep everything level.
There is now a large culvert in place and dcfbalco went over this morning to resurface the track and add ballast.
He was told that on another trestle we built that the city drainage just down from there backed up and water was running over the top of the rail and that would be about 40" to the top.
We have never had this much rain that I can remember consistently.

Posted from Android

That railroad is just being "green."  The environmentalist should be tickled pink.

John

Wow. That could be a little dangerous to work around.
Brian Stevens

callum_out Wrote:
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> The weeds don't show up quite that abundantly
> every year but you have to admit that
> it's a bit tough to do a decent track inspection
> when you can barely see the track.
>
> Out

technically an FRA violation for sure and any track inspection report that showed a good report (no defects) or a report that showed defects beside gage would be considered a false report since the inspection would be void due to ineffective visual inspecting ... i've seen the railroad fined for less