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March 2025
Rail News: MOW
Vegging out: Suppliers share information on equipment, software or services that help eradicate vegetation along rail lines
Compiled by Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
Danella Rail Services
Danella Rail Services supplies hi-rail and roadside spray trucks with Tee Jet and Raven spray systems. Each of the company’s spray trucks offer mapping and chemical injection capabilities.
Danella uses water trucks to nurse on-track equipment, eliminating the need to stop production during crucial track time availability, company officials said in an email.
Many of its spray trucks are equipped with real-time, web-based monitoring systems that enable constant oversight from the company’s central office. Managers can view all of Danella’s equipment across the United States.
The onboard computer systems enable the company to monitor and track herbicide treatments, gain crucial equipment diagnostics and obtain instant access to forward- and rear-facing cameras.
“This has improved our field operational safety and efficiencies and provided better information to our customers,” Danella Rail Services officials said.
The company also provides vegetation management services for numerous railroads, transit authorities and departments of transportation throughout the United States.
Species resistance is evolving, and Danella works closely with suppliers and each rail operation to custom-build a program that meets their individual needs, company officials said.
And since track time has become increasingly difficult to come by, Danella supplies a tender truck to nurse on-track equipment to keep its herbicide treatments productive during crucial track-time allotments.
Hitachi Energy
Hitachi Vegetation Manager is a solution that’s designed to help predict and prevent vegetation threats. It includes a web-based back-office application to monitor real-time work performance; a platform and device-agnostic field app for inspections and work execution; and direct integration with a remote sensing analytics suite to process lidar, satellite and drone imagery, company officials said.
At its core, artificial intelligence (AI) analyzes imagery and videos to provide insights into active conditions around maintenance of way. Customers can predict risks and generate an optimal cut plan, resulting in greater crew efficiency and reduced track risks, Hitachi officials said.
The rail industry faces increasing pressure to manage vegetation effectively, driven by safety concerns, cost optimization needs, technological advancements, environmental considerations and regulatory compliance, they said. Trends include a strong emphasis on proactive safety measures, the adoption of technologies like AI, lidar, drones and predictive analytics, the need for cost-effective solutions, a focus on sustainable practices and adherence to regulations.
Overgrown vegetation poses risks to signal visibility, fire prevention and even derailments, making proactive management crucial, company officials said. Railroads are increasingly turning to data-driven approaches to optimize resource allocation and minimize operational disruptions caused by vegetation issues, they said.
Hitachi Vegetation Manager is designed to address evolving needs by providing a comprehensive platform that leverages AI, satellite imagery and mobile field applications. The system analyzes data to predict high-risk areas, generates optimized cut plans and empowers field crews with real-time information.
By integrating diverse data sources like lidar and remote sensing imagery, and focusing on AI-driven insights, Hitachi aims to improve safety, reduce costs and support sustainable practices in rail vegetation management, company officials said. This integrated approach helps rail operators proactively address vegetation threats, optimize maintenance schedules and ensure regulatory compliance, they said.
Loftness
Loftness manufactures a full line of vegetation management equipment, including mulching attachments, disc mulchers, brush cutters, flail mowers and a compact mechanical tree trimmer. The company’s products are often used for right-of-way and maintenance-of-way work.
Loftness recently introduced two new products. The first is the 10 Series Battle Ax mulching attachment for compact excavators weighing 7,000 to 10,000 pounds. Like other products in the Battle Ax line, the 10 Series features a unique rotor design with depth gauges that optimize the amount of material being fed into the drum, Loftness officials said. It also features a two-stage cutting chamber to help thoroughly process material.
The other new product is a flail mower attachment for skid steers designed for mowing grass, weeds and brush up to 0.75 inches in diameter.
Loftness is finding more uses for its Battle Ax and Kwik-Trim products in the rail industry. The 30 Series Battle Ax for 18,000- to 36,000-pound excavators is one of the company’s most popular attachments, Loftness officials said. Customers are using it with great success on purpose-built material handlers with rail gear, they added.
The 30 Series is available with a heavy-duty thumb that can remove trees and brush away from the railway before mulching.
More contractors are also using the Loftness Kwik-Trim for trimming branches up to 53 feet high. The Kwik-Trim is built on a customized mini excavator platform, allowing it to enter tighter areas than larger trimming equipment, Loftness officials said. It can efficiently handle the vast majority of trimming needs at a cost-effective price, they added.
RCE Equipment Solutions
RCE Equipment Solutions was founded on and has deep roots in the brush-cutting business. Less than 25 years ago, an excavator sitting on top of a flat car was the only viable way to tackle brush cutting in areas with little to no right-of-way access. That’s when RCE’s idea of the hi-rail excavator was born — a safer, quicker and easier way to get an excavator on track, company officials said.
The early model rail-bound excavators with auxiliary power units have since given way to today’s latest RAILAVATOR designs, they said, adding that for brush cutting, the 210 and 245 RAILAVATORs are the most popular in the industry.
RCE will modify the hydraulic systems to ensure the mower head receives priority hydraulic flow to maintain continuous operation, while the operator still retains the ability to maintain maneuverability of the boom, arm and travel. The company recently introduced mowing package options on its smallest 50 and 85 RAILAVATOR models to provide more brush cutting options on smaller units capable of operating in tight spaces.
RCE currently supplies multiple 245 RAILAVATORs to Class Is for brush clearing. The units are equipped with a 36-inch mulching mower head coupled to a tilt-rotator. The machines provide optimal hydraulic flow to the mower head while maintaining exceptional machine controllability, RCE officials said. This year, the company expects additional units to be requested for similar work.
Roadway worker safety is the top priority among railroads and contractors alike. Brush-cutting activities can be potentially hazardous since the work often involves both specialized clearing equipment and a roadway ground crew. With RCE’s available SensorZone Vision 360 package, a multi-camera monitoring and recording system can be added to any RCE model, company officials said.
The Vision 360 system is designed to provide a 360-degree view of the area surrounding the equipment and produce an audio alert when someone approaches the machine. For additional protection, the SensorZone PWS system can be added.
The PWS system assigns a tag to each roadway worker. If the worker approaches the machine, he or she receives an audible and vibratory alert and an alarm will sound on the machine, company officials said.
Vancer
Vancer’s maintenance-of-way equipment is designed to offer flexibility, efficiency and power for rail maintenance crews that manage vegetation. With a variety of models available to meet different horsepower requirements, the company’s hi-rail excavators provide versatile solutions for clearing overgrowth in remote rail areas, Vancer officials said.
The excavators can be fitted with various attachments to effectively remove large branches, trees and brush. The mower deck can efficiently manage grass and weeds, while the drum-style mulching head cuts and grinds trees and stumps.
For more precise clearing, a chainsaw attachment with a grapple system allows for quick and effective removal, and a tow cart facilitates the bulk transportation of branches, Vancer officials said. To enhance maneuverability, skid steers and multi-terrain loaders can be equipped with tools for brushing, mowing and mulching to ensure rail lines remain clear.
Additionally, the Huddig 1260/1370/1370T features an articulating center pivot system and accommodates multiple attachments, making it a highly efficient solution for vegetation management, Vancer officials said.
Offering versatile and powerful equipment, Vancer remains committed to delivering innovative solutions that ensure rail lines are safe, clear and operational, they added.
Email comments or questions to jeff.stagl@tradepress.com.
