Watco Completes Major Projects in 2024
Last year, Watco partnered with government agencies, customers, and others to maintain infrastructure and grow freight opportunities across its network.
South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad
Small-Road Briefs: G&W, Watco
The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) receives a $26.5 million federal grant for the Colonel’s Island Rail Improvements project, which is supported by Genesee & Wyoming (G&W). Also, Watco helps bring a building materials customer to Oklahoma and lands three awards for rail infrastructure projects.
Bartlett Launches Watco-Served Kansas Plant
Bartlett, a Savage Company, on Sept. 19 officially opened its soybean processing plant in Cherryvale, Kans., that is served by Watco’s South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL), Railway Age’s 2022 Regional of the
Industrial Development Briefs: NS, Watco
The state of Georgia and the Development Authority of Peach County purchased a 1,113-acre industrial development site to be served by Norfolk Southern (NS). Also, Bartlett, a Savage Company, kicked off construction of its $375 million, Watco-served soybean crushing plant in southeast Kansas.
VTR, SKOL Accept Railway Age Awards
The Vermont Railway (VTR) and South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) accepted Railway Age’s 2022 Short Line & Regional Railroads of the Year Awards at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) Annual Conference & Exhibition in St. Louis, Mo., on May 2.
Railway Age 2022 Short Line and Regional Railroads of the Year: VTR, SKOL
Railway Age’s 2022 Short Line of the Year is the Vermont Railway (VTR). Our Regional of the Year is the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL), a Watco subsidiary.
Railway Age’s 2022 Short Line and Regional Railroads of the Year: VTR, SKOL
Railway Age is honoring the Vermont Railway (VTR) and the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) as its 2022 Short Line (Class III) and Regional (Class II) Railroads of the Year.
Industrial Development Briefs
Intermodal service provider Tiger Cool Express will develop a logistics center at the former Union Pacific Cold Connect warehouse in Wallula, Wash. In addition, CSX has designated a third Tennessee property as a CSX Select Site; Bartlett, a Savage Company, will build a $325 million soybean crushing facility in Kansas, to be served by Watco; and the U.S. Economic Development Administration is awarding CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants for the construction of a new industrial rail spur in Arkansas and improvements to the Lubbock Rail Port in Texas.
KDOT Awards $5MM in Short Line Grants
The Kansas Department of Transportation is distributing $5 million in grants for 13 projects that will improve and/or construct a total of 15 miles of track under its new Short Line Rail Improvement Fund program. Four projects are for short lines; nine are for shippers.