<b>Development of a Steam Weeding Technique with Excellent Weed-controlling Effect and Usability</b>

Currently, mowers are widely used for weed control along railway tracks. However, this method has some issues. For example, one of issues is that weeds regrow quickly after being cut during summer. Therefore, there is a need for more effective and efficient weed control methods. To address this need, we developed a specialized piece of steam weeding equipment. This equipment consists of a general-purpose steam cleaner and newly developed handheld nozzles. To verify the effectiveness of the developed equipment, it was tested in areas with vigorous weed growth. The test showed that this equipment provided effective usability with less labor and time. Furthermore, it was also confirmed that large weed regrowth was reduced by 70% after one year compared with mowers.