People typically travel by car or plane nowadays, but some individuals and cargo move by train. If you have ever traveled by train, though, it probably did not occur to you to contemplate if the train tracks were clear. This missing consideration is because railroad vegetation management is a service not known by most but expected by all as they travel by train.
How Railroad Vegetation Management Works
Railroad vegetation management is a service provided to railways to maintain vegetation and reduce future growth. Completing this service ensures that the railroad will be clear and trains will travel smoothly and efficiently. The management service can include many things but is composed mainly of clearing, spraying, and trimming back areas on or around railways.
At Lanracorp, we provide brush control, crossing clearing, mowing, tree clearing, and vegetation spraying.
- Brush control aims to make signs, signals, crossings, and trains clear from any branches or foliage. Sometimes trees, bushes, and weeds are removed to clear the region while promoting the growth of grasses.
- Ridding the railroad crossing from trees, weeds, or other debris helps trains move smoothly and efficiently. Vegetation spraying is a critical step.
- Mowing back grasses and other vegetation can make signs more legible and clear. Oftentimes, vegetation can be removed up to 20 feet to ensure that it does not interfere with electrical masts and wires.
- Trees are cut down for visibility and safety reasons. If the height of a tree is greater than the distance from the track, it will likely be cut down to prevent it from falling in the future.
- Vegetation and weed spraying prevent future growth and slow current growth. By spraying the vegetation, it decreases the vegetation management work in the future.
Vegetation managers aim to protect people, infrastructure, safer operation, and continued service without delay for vegetation on the tracks.
Why Railroad Vegetation Management is Important
Without railroad vegetation management, there is a possibility of damage to railroad tracks and equipment. The vegetation may delay and threaten passengers and others that may encounter the railway.
Dangerous to all, uncontrolled vegetation can limit visibility and overtake signs, signals, or crossings. This wild vegetation also poses a fire hazard as the brush and leaves on the tracks are flammable.
If trees or brush are rampantly taking over, they may interfere with electrical masts and wires. Vegetation and trees must be removed to reduce the risk to electrical lines that could lead to electrocution.
Railway vegetation management can have a great impact on the efficiency and safety of train passengers and freights. In a world without railroad vegetation management, travel by train would be virtually impossible, and trains hauling products would be unable to deliver. Lanracorp is trained and skilled in railroad vegetation management and ensures our clients’ railways are cleared.