Vegetation management is a fact of life for railroads, and it can be a challenge to keep pace with nature’s progress. “One thing is certain: Vegetation will continue to grow and require maintenance on rail lines nationwide,” said Scott Balderson, president and chief executive officer of Dymax Inc., which offers a range of railroad maintenance equipment.
What’s also certain is that manufacturers will continue to develop more versatile, compact and mobile ways to remove brush and other growth that can interfere with rail operations.
In recent years, however, the increased prevalence of the emerald ash borer and pine beetle has complicated vegetation management efforts in some parts of the United States.
An Asian beetle that feasts on species of ash trees and likely arrived in the United States in the early 2000s on wood packing material carried in cargo ships, the emerald ash borer has cost municipalities, property owners…