Railroads need to control vegetation for the similar reason as electric utilities and roadsides. The areas of control falls into five broad groups: yards, bridges, line-of-road, road crossings, and brush.

Weed control in yards is done to provide a safe work place required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA); to prevent fires around buildings, outside storage, and the general yard area; to prevent wheel slippage; to facilitate maintenance and inspection; and to improve appearance (Figure 10).

Vegetation control around bridges, especially wooden bridges, is necessary to reduce fire hazard and to facilitate structure inspection and maintenance (Figure 11).

Vegetation control is needed to protect the roadbed by maintaining proper drainage, to allow track inspection, to improve visibility of signals, switches, signs, and crossings, and to reduce fire hazard along the rights-of-way. The line-of-road phase of railroad vegetation control refers to main lines and branch lines. It usually has the greatest number of treated acres compared to the other phases of railroad vegetation management (Figure 12).

Road crossing treatments are applied to the areas on either side of highway grade crossings. Weed control at road crossings is needed to comply with legal requirements and to improve visibility by both the automobile and the train engineer (Figure 13).

Brush control is necessary to prevent fouling of communication and signals lines, to maintain visibility around signs, signals, switches, and crossings. Brush control keeps woody plants from encroaching and becoming a clearance problem by striking railcars or employees as they pass (Figure 14).

Vegetation management issues for pipelines parallels electric utilities in many respects. Vegetation control on the pipeline right-of- way is necessary for inspection, access, and safety. Rights-of-way free of brush can be inspected to spot warning signs of leaks. Open rights- of-way enable crews to conduct maintenance and emergency repairs. Total vegetation control around pumping stations and storage tanks is particularly important for reducing fire hazard (Figure 15).

Rights-of-way vegetation management is necessary for adequate safety, infrastructure maintenance, and improved appearance. All contribute to safe and reliable operations. Vegetation management performed for fire prevention, employee and public safety, facilities inspection, as well as noxious weed law compliance, are important for all rights-of-way. The goals remain the same - protect people, move goods and services, and protect the environment.

1. Compared to a flat roadside, the safety recovery zone will be wider for:
    A. Fill slopes
    B. Cut slopes
    C. Curves
    D. Both A and C

2. The primary problem weeds in the safety recovery zone are:
    A. Wildflowers
    B. Trees
    C. Tall grasses
    D. Shrubs

3. The single greatest cause of fatalities resulting from vehicles hitting fixed objects is:
    A. Bridge abutments
    B. Parked autos
    C. Telephone poles
    D. Trees

4. Since an obstacle slows the wind for a distance of _________times its height, vegetation some distance from the roadside may require control to prevent snowdrifts.
    A. 2
    B. 5
    C. 10
    D. 15-20

5. Total vegetation control is important in:
    A. Railroad yards
    B. Pumping stations
    C. Electric substations
    D. All of the above

6. Brush control, road crossings, yards, and line-of-road are phases of vegetation control for:
    A. Roadsides
    B. Electric lines
    C. Railroads
    D. Pipelines

7. Structure inspection, conductor clearance, and emergency service are reasons for controlling vegetation on:
    A. Roadsides
    B. Electric lines
    C. Railroads
    D. Pipelines

8. Aesthetics, drainage enhancement, sign visibility and sight distance are reasons for controlling vegetation on:
    A. Roadsides
    B. Electric lines
    C. Railroads
    D. Pipelines

9. Noxious weeds:
    A. Vary from state to state
    B. Do not have showy flowers
    C. May require control
    D. Both A and C

10. Right-of-way vegetation control is generally required to provide:
    A. System reliability
    B. Public safety
    C. Noxious weed control
    D. All of the above