Weed Burning Operation

Discussion in 'Action Photos' started by Jim James, Sep 14, 2013.

  1. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Although this photo is undated and exact location unknown it is among the collection of photos taken during the Diversion Channel project in southeast Missouri. I think this weed burner would be a neat scratchbuilding project. I don't know when they started using chemical weed kill but this would also be a curious relic sitting on an overgrown siding on a more modern era layout. I'm surprised to see a white stripe painted on the road. I didn't know roads where that developed around here back in the teens.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

  3. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Wonder if this could have been somewhere between Delta and Advance, where Hwy. 25 paralleled the Hoxie Sub? Only 2 cross-arms on the line pole, so I'd guess it's not mainline?

    Neat photo, Jim!
     
  4. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    At this location on the Hoxie Sub, the pole line had but one cross arm. The rail looks a bit heavier, too.
     
  5. Brad Slone

    Brad Slone Member Frisco.org Supporter

    There is a small clip within a video posted on youtube taken out in Oklahoma I think somewhere around Award of a weed burner in operation, pretty interesting stuff, wouldn't want it around during drought conditions!

    Brad Slone
     
  6. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    I wonder when the chemical method took over. I also wonder if branch lines just used a ground crew to go along and burn the ditches or whatever. A burning crew would be interesting to model if prototypical.
     
  7. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Take a look at the thread Karl pointed out in his first response.

    Chemicals were definitely in use by 1970, but I don't know how much earlier they appeared.

    Paul
     
  8. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Good eye for the details, as always, Karl. Thanks very much - I need to look more closely at the picture that's around here somewhere that I believe your father took when a track gang was replacing rail along the Hoxie Sub.

    Jim, I think that a scale burning operation would be right up there with modeling functioning scale torpedoes and fusees. I'm still waiting for someone to come up with a way to model those.

    Best Regards,
     
  9. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    That picture looks like it was taken along Sprigg Street road south of Marquette.
     
  10. William Jackson

    William Jackson Bill Jackson

    Pretty scruffy looking ground, similar to south of Hoxie, Mark Tree, Wilson or Lawton, Ok even. Its being pulled by a Motor Car, looks to be a vintage maybe 50's, because of the pancake roof. The older ones, did not have roofs. later straight roofs. Burning was used anywhere that it was allowed. Burning and burying ties, became a no-no in the mid 70's. But I don't know the location, fits a lot of places.
    William Jackson
     
  11. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Just wondering ..... how often did these weed burners set a tie or two on fire?

    Ken
     
  12. William Jackson

    William Jackson Bill Jackson

    Ken, that is indeed why railroads went to gas fired heaters and cold air blowers. Embers would get in the tie and burn up over a time period. That caused the tie to need to be replaced. Switches used to have pot's under the points, asbestos shingles were nailed to the sides to prevent the tie from burning to some good. It still world burn some ties. Cold air blowers work best in places like Montana and Wyoming where melting of snow is little problem. Gas fired works best where the snow melts during the day, it prevents freeze up at night. Ice buildup.
    William Jackson
     

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