Southern Region

SAPT Trainmaster John Sexton (left) accepts a 15-year service pin in 2020 from Manager of Transportation Matt Folland in Garden City, Georgia.

Sexton Bids Farewell to Co-workers

Savannah Port Terminal Railroad (SAPT) Trainmaster John Sexton retired in October 2021 after more than 40 years working in the railroad industry. Sexton, a third-generation railroader, began his career with Southern Railway in 1976. After working for Southern, and later Norfolk Southern, John held various positions in the short line industry before joining G&W 17 years ago. While at SAPT, John was instrumental in improving the daily operations of the railroad. As trainmaster, he has been an integral part of the railroad’s growth, as it expands to meet the demands of its largest customer, the Georgia Ports Authority. John’s operational input, wealth of railroad knowledge, work ethic and devotion to the industry has been unmatched over the last four decades. John will be missed by his customers, while his fellow railroaders will miss his mentorship and friendship. SAPT Yardmaster Donald Morris began working with Sexton 15 years ago when Morris served as a SAPT supervisor and yardmaster. Morris says that he could rely on Sexton for guidance, which continued even after he transferred to Golden Isles Terminal Wharf (GITW) for two years. “It’s going to be different without him, because he’s been such a support to everyone who works with him,” says Morris, noting that was especially true for the yardmasters. “He was there for them with knowledge and experience, and we will miss him.” Congratulations to Trainmaster John Sexton on a stellar career and well-deserved retirement.

“It’s going to be different without him because he’s been such a support to everyone who works with him. He was there for them with knowledge and experience,

and we will miss him.” —SAPT Yardmaster Donald Morris

FORD REFLECTS ON CAREER, WORKING SAFELY

With over a decade in the industry, Savannah Port Terminal Railroad (SAPT) Track Inspector Jahhanes Ford has become familiar with walking on ballast. “I knew I could make a career out of working for the railroad, but I didn’t think I would move up to being a track inspector," says Ford, whose boots first touched the ground for the railroad in Savannah, Georgia, as a Rail Link, Inc., track laborer on January 10, 2011. As a Rail Link, Inc., employee, he was based at the CSXI Intermodal Yard. Ford still remembers his early beginnings and how his hire date was a special day. “It was easy to remember because that’s the day my daughter was born,” says Ford. “That was my first hard labor job, so it was kind of difficult at first. I remember my first time trying to swing a hammer, and I couldn’t write with my hands for like a week because it was rough. But I got the hang of it.” Veterans, including Laborer and Foreman Willie Aikens, showed him the ropes. They taught him how to swing a hammer as well as identify track errors and other issues. Four years later, Ford was promoted to track foreman and started performing track inspections. In August 2019, he joined SAPT as a foreman and later became a track inspector. Ford notes that it feels good to go out and accomplish a big job and come back home safely to his family. “That is the whole goal — providing for your family and being with your family,” he says.

SAPT Track Inspector Jahhanes Ford reflects on a decade milestone with the railroad and working reportable injury-free.

Above: Georgia Ports Authority yard Right: SAPT Yardmaster Donald Morris

SAPT YARDMASTERS RELOCATE TO MASON YARD

Savannah Port Terminal Railroad (SAPT) yardmasters based at Chatham Yard recently relocated to a new building. They moved to a newly erected building on the other side of the ports, where Mason Yard is located. “We moved into Mason Yard because that is where the intermodals will be coming in and out,” says Yardmaster Donald Morris. “It’ll also be closer to the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) employees.” Morris says that GPA employees are based in the same office building as the SAPT yardmasters, and they have new monitors set up to observe the yard. “I don’t know if that’s part of their plan to consolidate everyone in the same office, which I think will be a good idea,’’ says Morris. “It’s easier to look at someone and ask about paperwork instead of trying to get a hold of them on the phone.” There are still industries at Chatham Yard to work with the warehouses. There are approximately four yardmasters on the team, and there are plans to possibly hire more.

Southern Region

MNA’S WEBB CITY SUBDIVISION TURNOUTS RECEIVE UPGRADE

A turnout installation project began in late August 2021 on Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (MNA). Two new turnouts were installed in Joplin, Missouri, at Milepost 547.1 on the Webb City Subdivision. “We tore out the old switches and are putting in a brand new one,” says Manager of Track Brent Wilson, who is based in Carthage, Missouri. MNA employees supported a contractor to finish the job in about five days. The project involved building the new switches, as well as taking a couple of days to remove the old switch and install the new one. The team upgraded one turnout at a time, and it took about two days to complete the installation. “Two switches for the No. 10 and No. 8 turnout had to be built off the track,” says Wilson. He noted that once they got the switches built, they coordinated with the operations side

A Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (MNA) switch ties installation project on the Nevada and Webb City subdivisions concluded late last year. “It wasn’t replacing the whole switch,” says Manager of Track Brent Wilson, who is based in Carthage, Missouri. “We just replaced the bad switch ties.” The project involved replacing 400 switch ties near the Carthage Yard area primarily at the south end of Pearl Yard — at Milepost 526.5 — and a few in Miller Yard toward the diesel shop. The work was done by contractors with oversight from MNA employees. “We got some track protection and had a truck distribute the switch ties at the switch,” says Wilson. “Once the gang showed up, everything was sitting there for them to install the new ties.” Wilson says that the medium-size project started in August and took a few weeks to complete.

MNA SWITCH TIES REPLACED MNA WELCOMES BACK POWELL FEED AND MILLING In 2021, Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (MNA) welcomed back a familiar customer, Powell Feed and Milling. Powell produces cattle and poultry feed at a non-rail-served location in Green Forest, Arkansas, to support feed stores in the surrounding area. Last year, Powell acquired a former Butterball facility along the MNA in Aurora, Missouri, where they transload grain and also receive corn and feed pellets via UP interchange and from another MNA customer, Montrose Grain.

to obtain a six-to-seven-hour window, so they could pull the old switch and clean the track bed to put the new one in. They then put new rock in and resurfaced the track. Wilson says that the work went smoothly since there was minimal train traffic and the work space was in an open area next to a road. “We worked around the train to get the job done,” he says.

SHUTTERSTOCK – BY MAERZKIND