Economic Analysis Of Alternatives For Railroad Vegetation Control

Abstract

A survey was distributed to 174 railroads throughout the United States and selected foreign countries. The purpose of the survey was to determine which methods of vegetation control were used along railroad rights-of-way. Cost data were gathered from the railroads responding to the survey and the data were analyzed and compared to an independent cost analysis. Vegetation control by herbicide application, brush cutting, ballast regulating, reballasting, undercutting, and hand clearing were examined. The least expensive alternatives (in average U.S. data base, 1991 dollar base) were vegetation control with a ballast regulator at a cost of $330 per mile, herbicide application at \$485 per mile, and brush cutting with a cost of $554 per mile. An integrated vegetation management program should be developed using a combination of these methods to get the most effective and economic vegetation control. <p>