Pressure washer takes aim at railroad leaves

(Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad)

By Globe Staff

A new $900,000 pressure washer will patrol commuter rail lines this fall, cleaning leaves from tracks with jets that spray 54 gallons of water per minute. That's 15,000 pounds of pressure per square inch to clear fallen foliage, which can be slippery and dangerous for trains.

Officials are unveiling the pressure washer this morning at a rail yard in west Cambridge. The washer pump is mounted on an 89-foot flat car and includes a 22,000-gallon water tank. The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad introduced the system in 2005.

The washer takes aim at sticky black ooze called "slippery rail," which is a combination of water and leaf oil. The ooze makes it difficult for trains to maintain traction.

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