Why remove weeds from railway tracks?
One of the most important reasons for removal of weeds from railways is to retain the quality of the track and to ensure safe railway traffic. The macadam or gravel which are components of the ballast should not become polluted by weeds or decaying plant residues. If this happens, the pollutants will fill up the hallow spaces within the ballast, resulting in the binding of water. This diminish the dranage capacity of the ballast, gives possibility for further growth of weeds, and, in countries with cold winters, the water will freeze to ice and will swell, thereby causing dislocation of the track. In addition, the quality of wooden slipers is rapidly destroyed when they are lying in polluted water-saturated ballast. Another important reason for removal of weeds from railway tracks is the working environment for track maintenance employees. The risk of accidents caused by stumbling or slipping on weeds is obvious and may have fatal consequences. A further reason for weed removal is the
