1. What is there now, and will you be felling those trees to make this
screen?

2. With regard to rr right of way buffer: If the railroad people think that
a tree is encroaching and/or might fall across the tracks, they'll drop it.
So, plant accordingly.


"Twobtold" wrote in message
...
Colorado Blue Spruce -- Picea pungens glauca

Lovely tree, slow growing, 'blueness' varies widely with regard to
individual specimens and growing conditions. Good for zone 6. A whole wall
of them might be a little much.

Thuja "Green Giant" --

Very good choice.

American Arborvitae -- Thuja occidentalis 'American'

Another good choice, although as it ages a bit more ratty looking than the
others.

Russian Olive -- Elaeagnus angustifolia

Deciduous, drought tolerant, the ones I have seen have been more shrubby
than tree-like. How tall does your screen have to be?

Canadian Hemlock --

Not a good choice if the sight is full sun. Also prone to wooly adelgid
attacks and slow growing.

Douglas Fir -- Pseudotsuga taxifola

Very large choice, fine for this application IMHO.

Siberian Elm --

Ulmus pumilla. Bleh. Trash tree. Avoid. Weak wood, prone to watersprouts.
Deciduous.

Christmas Holly -- Ilex Opaca hybrids

Splendid. Slow growing however.

Perhaps a mixture of a few of these trees might make for a more naturalistic
screen rather than a monoculture. You've left out the quintessential
evergreen screening tree, Leyland cypress, aka X CUPRESSOCYPARIS
LEYLANDII, more recently renamed to x Cuprocyparis leylandii.

Taxus x media 'Hicksii' is another good choice.

Dave