Abstract Since glyphosate has been used extensively for weed control in Swedish railway tracks, common horsetail (Equisetum arvense L), previously relatively rare, has become very common. Glyphosate, although effective against most other weeds found on railway tracks, gives poor control of E arvense , so that heavy infestation with this weed is now common. Imazapyr (applied as a 250 g AE litre −1 SL, Arsenal) has controlled E arvense , but is known to be very mobile. Adequate control of the weed requires application of ≥4 litres ha −1 of imazapyr SL but environmental factors preclude the use of >2 litres ha −1 . A suitable strategy was found to be one application of imazapyr SL at 2 litres ha −1 in each of two successive years but best weed control was obtained by supplementing imazapyr in the first year with glyphosate 360 g AE litre −1 SL (RoundUp Bio) at 3 litres ha −1 . Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry