Railroad to share weed research with South Dakota DOT

PIERRE, S.D. ( KELO ) — A railroad serving Aberdeen and other communities in northeastern South Dakota is looking for a way to better control kochia and other weeds.

Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western is teaming with North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota.

The State of South Dakota owns the 73 miles that DMVW runs on between Aberdeen and Geneseo Junction, North Dakota.

Mark Trottier spoke about the research effort on Wednesday, as he presented the railroad’s 2024 maintenance plan for the route to the South Dakota Railroad Board .

He said seeds will be collected from kochia and delivered to NDSU, where they’ll be grown into plants and sprayed with different combinations of weed-control chemicals.

“They’ve jumped in with both feet to help us,” Trottier said about the university.

South Dakota Transportation Secretary asked whether DMVW would share the results.

The answer from Trottier was yes.

“We’d much rather be a solution rather than a problem on this stuff,” Trottier said.

The board approved the 2024 maintenance plans from DMVW, Dakota Southern Railway for the Napa line and Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad for the Wolsey interchange and Yale connection.

Go here for a map of the current state-owned and commercial rail lines in South Dakota.

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