Re: [CBQ] Re: Weed Spray equipment

["Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

I have (if I can find it) and my memory is accurate a letter my grandfather wrote to the READE company complaining about their product..He told the recipient of his latter that the "results would have been fine  "IF WE HAD WANTED HAY"

I have a correspondence file which has some of this letters and I'll see if I can dig it up.

Pete

-----Original Message-----
From: LZadnichek@aol.com [CBQ] <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
To: CBQ <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Mon, Jan 30, 2017 9:40 am
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Re: Weed Spray equipment

 

January 30, 2017

 

Phil - Your image came through perfectly. Thanks! Evidently the Q, at least Lines East, was using a third party contractor for weed spaying as early as 1953 as evidenced by your image. What an usual looking spray car. I wonder where the fluted metal siding came from? Plus, I've never heard of the READE company. Now that you know how to scan and send images to our Group, I look forward to your further contributions. Best Regards - Louis

 

Louis Zadnichek II

Fairhope, AL 

 

In a message dated 1/29/2017 6:17:14 P.M. Central Standard Time, CBQ@yahoogroups.com writes:

[Attachment(s) from Philip Weibler included below]

Hello Louis, Bill, Rupert and All -

My #1 Grandson took control of my computer this morning and cleared out the problem that was keeping me from 

attaching photos to emails.  Let's give this a try.......

READE RMC 1010 in front of the old depot in Quincy, Illinois, summer of 1953

[Unable to display image]Never saw a sprayer in action, but a quarter century later as a locomotive engineer on the C&NW I did some vicious

weed and tree removal with a Jordan spreader-ditcher.    PAW

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 12:42 PM, "LZadnichek@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

January 29, 2017

 

Bill - I hear you.... In earlier years, I've been covered with asbestos dust, had the soles on my steel-toe boots rot from PCBs and breathed clouds of smoke with God knows what was in it, but, at age 70, have not yet experienced any quantifiable ill effects. However, mesothelioma from asbestos exposure and blood cancers such as lymphoma from toxic chemical exposure are a reality and one's good health should never be taken for granted. Some folks just seem more resistant to such assaults on their well being such as your's truly and your friend Mr. McCroskie whom I applaud for his determination to work on weed spray trains. I guess I can best sum it up by quoting a friend of mine who is a career funeral director. When I ask him about what happened to so-and-so, he just shrugs his shoulders and says, "It was his time."  Best Regards - Louis      

 

In a message dated 1/27/2017 5:01:29 P.M. Central Standard Time, CBQ@yahoogroups.com writes:

Louis,

I have a friend and fellow model railroader (Jim McCroskie) whose first job out of the high school was working the sprayer on the weed trains. He's talked about about being in a T shirt and jeans and having all of the weed spray sometimes just cover you as you would work down the track. That happened all summer working those sprayer trains. He then became a Q clerk and retired as BN special agent. He's amazed to this day that he has not had any health problems that could be attributed to the weed spraying work.

Bill Hirt

On 1/27/2017 2:14 PM, LZadnichek@aol.com [CBQ] wrote:

January 27, 2017

 

Rupert/Hol - This is what I remember, too, on Lines East. I still remember the "stink" of the chemical all these years later.... Today, the EPA would never tolerate such an operation. Think about how the chemical spray cloud could drift off the ROW if the wind picked-up. Chemical exposure to employees as described with the spray nozzle operator being "coated" would also be a huge concern in the present era. But, a weed spray train was certainly a part of everyday railroading 60 plus-years ago. Times were very different then.... Best Regards - Louis

 

Louis Zadnichek II

Fairhope, AL  

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Posted by: jpslhedgpeth@aol.com

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