Re: (erielack) Leaves on the Rails

[Hhaines_@_aol.com]

In a message dated 11/25/2003 9:48:29 PM Mountain Standard Time, 
paultup_@_optonline.net writes:

> Of course, from an environmental standpoint, 
> >less herbicide is sprayed along the ROW now. 
> >But, the tradeoff is, leaves on rails cause traction problems.
> 

Dear Paul and others: 
Many things have changed since the clear ROW of the 1950s and 1960s.  It has 
been interesting to compare ROWs from the 1920s, 1930s to those of the 1950s 
and 1960s.  Many changes there, but fire was sometimes used to clear ROW back 
in the old days--accidentally and sometimes planned.

In the 1950s, steam and its cinders left.  The cinders changed the soil and 
run-off water acidity, and would, in some cases, stunt or affect tree growth.  
In a wet climate (like NJ) these affects would be washed out in a decade or 
so--out here (Montana) in a dry climate, the affects last longer--70 years or 
more in some cases.   

And about herbicides.  The 1950s-1960s were the era of Agent Orange, 
heptachlor, chlordane, and other powerful herbicides no longer used in the US.  New 
(federal) source water regulations, and other environmental and health reasons 
in the US have placed restrictions or eliminated use.  The US regs do not stop 
herbicide use in other countries.  

Chipping and spreading the chips along the right-of-way may not help the 
problem in another 20 years because the soil will then be enriched.  It may also 
increase the fire hazard potential.
In some states, those chips are used for composting, mulch, or fuel.  Vermont 
has been pretty active with the use of chipped wood waste for fuel in small 
applications like schools, public buildings, and other installations (121 and 
growing).  These installations can get air quality permits, and sometimes, the 
emissions are credited against wildfire. 

The problem with using railroad ROW is that these smaller installations need 
a multiyear supply.  If the RR harvests the material correctly, the trees 
won't be back for 12 to 25 years, but the facility will still need fuel during 
those years.

RRs can turn this problem into a break-even or money making deal, but they 
are not in that business.  There are even federal grants to help get this 
(biomass) stuff used.  (just a thought and hint in case someone is interested).  
Co-firing these wood chips with coal or newspaper can even reduce emissions of 
the base fuel, but creating a business is not what this list is about. 

It is about the EL-NYSW and RR ROWs that have become overgrown producing 
leaves that make trains slip. I would suspect that the leaf resin/oil is not as 
much of a problem in a dry year as it has been these past wet years. When I was 
a kid, folks burned leaves in piles or in the street. Now there are so many 
cars that the airshed can't accommodate that fall boost.  One of these days, the 
research folk will come out with a neat process to take all that biomass and 
make fuel and ethanol economically.  Some of that "resin" will be used for 
natural adhesives. They say 2010.  Give them to 2018 or better. 
But this material can become a revenue--but maybe not next fall.

Howard Haines

------------------------------