44 Photos included after text.

Weed control trains are another interesting railroad piece of equipment.  Just like the Rail Grinders, some of the railroads have a couple of trucks that do small assignments, but the bigger jobs usually get contracted to an outside company that has the specialized equipment for that size of a job.

This is usually an entire train dedicated to the work that at times, will include an engine, or two, from the host railroad since these trains are normally not self propelled.  A control car for the operators of the train, several tank cars to carry the chemicals, and sometimes a general equipment car to carry supplies and/or tools. 

I have also seen a "spacer" car added to the train if the railroads engine is in front of the control car.  This special car is sometimes a specially built car with very little substance allowing the operators in the control car to see the ground in front of them that is in between them and the engine. 

You will notice that the control car is sometimes a rebuilt baggage car or a rebuilt box car of some sort.  The company adds the needed window openings, along with the required sprayers which are usually poles that are extended out from the side of the car with nozzles on them for the distribution of the chemicals.

There is quite an elaborate array of hoses from the control car to the several tank cars, and in between the tank cars themselves. 

These trains are not very long.  The ones that I have seen have been a control car, and box car and anywhere from three to six tank cars long.  The host railroad usually has only a small diesel engine assigned to the train.