Eastern Railroad Discussion > Weed Killer

I stumbled across (not literally) this weed killer car in Somerset, KY, a few weeks ago. I was stunned to see it in such pristine condition (lack of rust, fresh-looking lettering, etc.).

Just thought I'd share such an unusual car.

Jeff
<a href="http://www.trainweb.org/cnotp&quot;&gt;Norfolk Southern CNO&TP Home Page</a>

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Hi there,

Here's some weed killing in Alaska. The ARR wanted to spray RoundUp, but people along the railbelt screamed. They didn't want spraying done near them. So the ARR burns the weeds and trees when they get too bad. This shot was taken about 2 am. I came around a corner on the highway and there was this bright fire burning. I was wondering what the heck. When I got closer, I noticed this hi-rail truck flaming the tracks. They also had a hi-railer following behind with a water tank to put out any fires.

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Back in the 1950's I remember a weedburning car coming through regularly on the Pennsy in my home town of Whiting, Indiana.

Jerry Stack
Norwalk CA

I remember seeing a weed spraying train on N&W's Gary District. It looked like an old baggage car coupled to a tank car. I vagely remember it. I wish I had taken a picture of it.

I just wonder if that follow up water car was full of round-up. <grin>

The stuff used in Viet Nam had relatively high levels of dioxin. The herbicide used domesticly by RR's, Highway maint., etc. had none or nil. It's been tagged perhaps unfairly, as "agent orange". That's why you ain't dead yet.

Are you sure this is a weed sprayer? I don't see any nozzles, and that small tank would'nt last very long, without additional tank cars of agent. There is also a noticable lack of plumbing on the car, as compared to other sprayers I've seen. It sort of looks like a portable generator, with the electrical connections and plug ins. Nonetheless, it's an odd car.

I 2nd that opinion. Looks like a Electrical Generator that would be used in conjunction with MOW projects. Notice it's coupled to a grey flat that is like the old CR MOW flats used for transporting MOW equipment.

It looks like it has two tanks that would hold fuel for the generator.

Having just worked a weed sprayer, the one that was on the CSX used the main resovoir to pump the pressure needed to spray the chemicals. They had a small generator on board, but nothing to write home about.

Weed Sprayers are much the same as the John Deer Manure Spreader. It's the one product John Deere wouldn't stand behind :-) Only with Weed Sprayers, the company won't stand beside their product.

Any MOW nuts out there shed some light on what this car is?

Practice Safe CSX

I wonder if they could swing by and spray my garden...
Joe

CSX_CO wrote:
>
> Any MOW nuts out there shed some light on what this car is?

Unfortunately, I was going by what someone told me it was. I would really like to know what the purpose/function of this car is, too. Someone out there who knows...please tell us!

Jeff
<a href="http://www.trainweb.org/cnotp&quot;&gt;Norfolk Southern CNO&TP Home Page</a>

I'm still sticking with a generator car, for supplying power to MofW camp cars in remote locations.
The neatest one I've seen on NS was power car #404. I spotted it on the former NF&D line at Emporia, VA, in 3/97, while the NS was doing a major tie program on the line. It closely follows the lines of a 40' X-29 style boxcar, with a modifed door opening. Car #404 was painted in the N&W tuscan, and lettered for the N&W. While I was shooting the car, a small yellow tank truck (also lettered N&W) pulled up, and began fueling the power car. I asked why the car was'nt painted green like all of the other equipment there, and was told that it was demoted from office car use, hence the tuscan paint. I have'nt seen this car since.

It is a generator to provide power for camp cars. There is a similar one with the camp cars currently near me.