Safety Anniversaries
November 1 – Livonia Switching (LA) – 3 years
November 6 – Decatur River Port (AL) – 1 year
November 9 – Mainline Measurements (ND) – 7 years
November 15 – Pecos Valley Southern Railroad (TX) – 13 years
November 17 – Cincinnati Marine Terminal (OH) – 2 years
November 24 – Crafton Transload Terminal (TBT) (PA) – 5 yearss
November 25 – Geaux Geaux Railroad (LA) – 5 years
Enter to win $100 by sending your best shots of Watco operations to photos@watco.com by Dec. 15.
Overcoming Headwinds in 2025
Not unlike other years in Watco’s history, 2025 has been a year that presented some big challenges for us. From severe weather disruptions to shifting market conditions, we faced headwinds that could have set us back. But instead, they revealed our strength. These difficulties caused some periods of softness in freight volume, especially in the first three quarters on the rail side. Severe weather in the U.S. proved to be a major disruption. Several of our railroads faced weather delays. Winter snow and ice events affected Gulf region ports and caused warehouse shutdowns in some hard-hit states, causing backlogs and delayed operations.
Beyond weather, shifting market conditions and fluctuations in the supply chain also slowed our freight traffic at times. Despite these headwinds, our company experienced great success, thanks to the dedication of our team and the trust of our customers. Our team members showed up every day with focus and our customers continued to trust us with their business.
An additional driver of our success in 2025 was the diversity of our services. Our diversification has allowed us to be resilient. It has allowed us to not only overcome headwinds this year but to grow. That growth has been reflected primarily in three key acquisitions. We purchased Great Lakes Central Railroad in Michigan, allowing us to expand our Michigan footprint and customer base. By acquiring Colossal Transport Solutions, we’ve enhanced our project cargo capabilities. And with the acquisition of Dow industrial rail assets finalized in 2025, we now have greater operational control and growth potential.
In 2025, our theme was “Win the Day,” and I’d say that despite the challenges, we won the year. I’m very proud of our team and am looking forward to the big things we’ll do in 2026.
Have a great holiday season.
Dan Smith Watco CEO
Record-Setting Season for Tioga Dedicated Terminal
It was a fall full of milestones at Watco’s Tioga Dedicated Terminal! In October, this North Dakota-based team marked 14 years of switching and loading railcars on-site at a customer’s facility.
Additionally, the terminal’s natural gas and liquid operators set a new throughput loading record. This loading team typically averages 700 railcars a month, but in September, they reached a loading record of 816 railcars.
Supervisor Eric Turner said, “I’m proud of our team in Tioga. Every day, we are dedicated to taking care of the customer. These two milestones are evidence of our consistent hard work.”
Terminal Manager Russell Koczur agreed and said, “Regardless of whether you started at the very beginning or six months ago, every team member here is pivotal to our overall success. I’m looking forward to what the next 14 years will bring for the Tioga team.”
Pictured above: Back Row/Left to Right – Justin Haisch, Dexter Cahill, Pete Bercier, Chris Walther Front Row/Left to Right – Chris Wright, Eric Turner, Russell Koczur, Brad Seideman
First Vessel Arrives at Greens Port’s Newest Dock
It’s been 10 years in the making, but Dock 5 is now open at Watco Greens Port.
A construction permit was originally requested in 2015, right after Dock 4 was added. But plans were put on pause until 2023, when the team determined a new dock was necessary to meet increased customer demand.
The first phase of construction began in 2024 with the removal of a peninsula near where Dock 5 is now. Its removal was necessary to expand and deepen that section of the Houston Ship Channel to accommodate large ocean vessels.
Next up was constructing the 405-foot dock, which began earlier this year. The Watco team led efforts throughout all phases of construction, from project management and design to sourcing materials, coordinating contractors, and more. Working behind the scenes to facilitate these efforts were Vice President of Project Management Hamid Jadali, Project Manager Jeff Chen, and Construction Supervisor Rudy Lopez.
Greens Port Vice President Ernie Farrand said, “These three were valuable players in guiding our team through each phase of this project. Starting at the intent, scope of work, and all the way through the final day of construction.”
Bulkhead steel, one of the materials used to make up the waterfront part of Dock 5, didn’t have to travel far. It came from a Watco customer who fabricates this commodity on-site at one of the industrial park’s warehouses. According to Jadali, this project stands out compared to many of the others he’s previously worked on. That’s because it’s for a Watco property, not a customer. And because this project was 100% funded by Watco.
Jadali said, “This large-scope project was created by the Watco team just for Greens Port. It was designed to meet our customers’ needs today and well into the future.”
Dock 5 was commissioned on October 20 and received its first vessel on November 7. Like other docks at Greens Port, cranes are used to load and offload breakbulk and bulk commodities as well as containers and project cargo, to and from vessels.
Farrand said, “Dock 5 expands our capacity and flexibility. Greens Port can now accommodate six vessels at the same time.”
Duo Delivers Excellent Customer Service
Most challenges can be overcome with great customer service.
It’s the Watco way. And most recently, Mississippi Southern Railroad (MSR) Conductor Todd Ware and Conductor/Engineer Will Wilkerson delivered on that promise for their customers.
When a third-party tool used for tracking and ordering railcars unexpectedly went out of service this spring, these two stepped up to keep service running smoothly with minimal disruptions.
To do that, Ware and Wilkerson proactively reached out to their contacts at the Class I railroad to get visibility into railcar tracking and inventory. Then they double-checked how many cars were going to be online and prepared the yard for upcoming exchanges.
MSR General Manager Michael Goss said, “Our team weathered this challenge a lot easier because of Todd and Will. They consistently take extra steps to take care of our customers.”
Their effort didn’t go unnoticed. In an email to Goss, one customer said: “Todd and Will always go above and beyond to ensure we have the equipment we need to keep our product moving safely, efficiently, and on time. These guys are proactive in communicating, providing car numbers, and switch times. All of this ensures your business and mine runs well.”
GRNW, SKOL Receive Safety Awards
Two Watco short lines received some serious hardware at last month’s American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) Central & Pacific meeting.
The Great Northwest Railroad (GRNW) and South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) both earned ASLRRA’ s President’s Safety Awards fo r having the best safety record among all other short lines in their categories for the previous year. The GRNW took home the award in the 50,000 to 150,000 Person Hours Worked tier in the Pacific region. General Manager Jerick Staker traveled to New Orleans to accept the award in person.
“The GRNW prides itself on being the safest team in railroading, and we look forward to maintaining a track record of being there each year,” Staker said. “Across all our departments, we have a team that holds each other accountable and pushes for safety to be the top priority. I can’t thank our team enough for their efforts.”
General Manager Jerry Waun also made the trip to accept the SKOL’s award in the Central region’s 150,000 to 250,000 Person Hours Worked category.
“It means a lot to our team,” Waun said. “We see everything from subzero blizzards to 100-degree, humid days. They go out there and put their hearts and souls into doing it safely every day. They deserve the recognition for their efforts.”
Heavy-Haul Transport Services Poised for Growth
If it’s the largest machinery you can envision, the team at Colossal Transport Solutions — now a part of Watco Logistics — are experts at moving it.
Picture a giant, high-voltage substation transformer weighing close to a million pounds or a 170-foot-long wind turbine blade. Think of a huge, high-voltage industrial power generator or a massive mining excavator. These types of over-dimensional, heavy-haul cargo are Colossal’s specialty. When the acquisition was announced in September, Watco Logistics President Eric Wolfe noted that Colossal’s vast experience and strong reputation in the industry complemented Watco’s logistics services. Colossal cofounder Bill Taylor agreed that the match between the two companies is a good one, saying, “Watco’s network of short line railroads across the U.S., the Watco Greens Port terminal on the Houston Ship Channel, and the large network of storage and transloading facilities give us the ability to support our customers’ needs in a more efficient manner.”
Like Watco, Colossal is a multimodal, multi-service provider. Cargo might be offloaded at a port terminal and put onto heavy-duty railcars, barges, or specialized trailers to be railed, floated, or trucked inland. As part of its process, Colossal provides route planning, 3D drawings to navigate route obstructions, lift plans, rigging, and GPS monitoring, among other services.
Nestor Bernabe, Colossal cofounder with Taylor, said that the company had experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years, and that there was more growth on the horizon. “Falling under the umbrella of a company like Watco means abundant resources, including an appetite for capital investments and technology,” he said. “This gives us an ability to accelerate operations and sales, and it positions us to capture a larger market share from existing customers.”
Colossal is based in Spring, Texas, part of the Houston metropolitan area. Taylor and Bernabe started the company in 2005. They and 22 others from Colossal are now part of the logistics team at Watco.
A Mountain of a Move
Over its 20-year history, Colossal Transport Solutions has managed plenty of memorable moves. One mountain of a move came to mind for company cofounder Bill Taylor, who relayed the story recently.
Our customer came to us with an order of transformers they had sold, destined to a utility company substation in Clear Fork, West Virginia. We were the only company that looked into it closely to learn that we could not get to the ultimate destination by rail, which prompted our customer to award the project to us.
We got the project due to our extensive review and detailing of the transportation challenges. The substation is located on the top of a mountain in rural West Virginia, making it very difficult to reach with the size and weight of the transformers: seven transformers weighing 350,000 lbs. each. During our rail investigation, we learned that we could not get to the rail siding that was at the substation. We had to locate the nearest rail siding in the region that would allow us to have a viable haul route from the rail siding to the site.
The permits from the railroads were denied from multiple directions. We finally found one rail route that got us into the region, but it was on the other side of the mountain from the substation. In order for us to obtain approval from the railroad, we had to hire a third-party surveying company with trucks that could drive on the rail and electronically survey the rail route to the rail siding we had found, because the information the railroad had was severely outdated (1970s). After conducting the rail route survey, we were barely able to clear obstructions on the way to the rail siding we had found.
The haul route from that rail siding proved to be very challenging. There were multiple bridges, and we had to make trailer adjustments to cross each of them. Once we got to the base of the mountain, we had to hook up a second truck so that we had two trucks pulling us up and over the mountain. After crossing the mountain, we again had to adjust the trailer to cross more bridges until finally arriving at the substation. In total, it was seven trips of 50 miles for each transformer.
Watco Helps Make Spirits Bright
There’s no place like grandma and grandpa’s house for Christmas.
From getting there to enjoying a Christmas dinner and unwrapping gifts under the tree, the Watco team helps deliver all the essentials necessary to make this holiday one to remember.
Arriving on time is a must. That’s easier said than done when winter weather strikes. Thankfully, the Watco team is here to help you get there safely. At many of our terminals and ports, including the Cincinnati Marine Terminal, our team moves and stores tons of salt that’s ultimately used to treat roads.
After hugging loved ones upon arrival, the next stop is straight to grandma’s candy dish. Just one treat won’t spoil dinner. What you may not know is many of Watco’s short lines, including the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad, move the top ingredients found in all candy: beet and cane sugars.
Regardless of whether your family prefers a traditional or nontraditional Christmas dinner, potatoes in one form or another are sure to be on the menu. For the Eastern Idaho Railroad team, this crop is one of the main commodities they move.
For grandmas needing a dessert shortcut, Watco has them covered. Our logistics hub in Jonesboro, Arkansas, coordinates truckloads of frozen pies to food distribution centers located throughout the Northeast.
After dinner, it’s finally time to open presents. When it comes to delivering some Christmas gifts, like sports memorabilia for top fans or toys for furry family members, the North Pole calls on Watco Logistics to help. Our team of elves coordinates the delivery of merchandise from production sites to stores nationwide.
Not even grandmas can make sure everyone stays on Santa’s good list. Those on the naughty list may be destined to receive coal this Christmas. Tons and tons of coal come straight from Watco’s terminals and ports including Calvert City and Four Rivers marine terminals in Kentucky and Cora Marine Terminal in Illinois.
Whether this Christmas takes you to grandma and grandpa’s house or somewhere else, we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!
For CSR, It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later
Customer Service Representative Marge Miles wraps up her career at the Wood River Transload Terminal when she retires on December 19.
Since joining the team in 2017, Miles has earned a reputation from her teammates as the “Marge-of-alltrades.” She keeps office operations running smoothly by handling customer communications, processing orders, managing inventory, and coordinating with the accounting department.
Terminal Manager David Callan said, “Marge is the glue that holds our team together. She’s been my right hand since I started as the terminal manager. Her skills and helpfulness make her invaluable to the entire office and we’re going to miss her and all that she does for the team.”
In retirement, Miles plans to volunteer, travel, spend time with her family, reconnect with old friends, and even nanny for a family friend’s baby. The Wood River team will celebrate her last day with a party and present her with a Watco-branded commemorative watch.
Reflecting on her almost 10 years at Watco, Miles said, “Watco is a great family company, and even as we grow, it still feels close knit. It’s hard to say goodbye, but it feels bittersweet. It’s more like, ‘See you later.’”
FSA Reminder: Use It or Risk Losing It
Time is running out to spend dollars from your Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
If your medical or limited-purpose FSA account balance exceeds $660, the maximum amount you can roll over to 2026, you have until December 31 to use it or lose it.
Take a minute to check your account balance on NueSynergy’s app or website. If you have money to spend, below is a list of some eligible expenses to consider depending on the type of FSA account you have.
Medical FSA
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription costs for yourself or your dependents
• Over-the-counter medications
• Prescription sunglasses
• Oura Ring
• Hearing aids
Visit the FSA Store to view a comprehensive list of eligible items available for purchase.
Limited-Purpose FSA
When used in conjunction with a Health Savings Account, these FSA funds can be used to pay for dental and vision expenses.
Dependent-Care FSA
• Funds cannot roll over to 2026
• Before- and after-school care for dependents under the age of 13
• Preschool
• Daycare and in-home care for adult dependents with disabilities
Filing Claim Limit
Team members have until March 31, 2026, to file claims for 2025. All services must be completed on or before December 31, 2025.
Get Care Fast with First Stop Health
Feeling sick? Skip the waiting room with First Stop Health. This telehealth service is available for ALL team members and their families, regardless of whether you’re enrolled in a Watco health plan.
With First Stop Health, you can connect with a physician 24/7 to treat mild symptoms and conditions such as rashes, fever, flu, colds, or ear infections. One-time prescription refills are available when necessary.
Virtual counseling is also available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Get care or counseling with First Stop Health online, on the app, or by calling (888) 691-7867.
Scan the code to download the First Stop Health app
New Arrivals
Hazel Shea Paraspolo
Bryan and Ashley Paraspolo announce the birth of their daughter, Hazel Shea Paraspolo, born on August 12, 2025. Hazel weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. Her arrival is welcomed by her brother Luke, 3. Bryan is the environmental manager for the Midwest.
Jackson Sky Thompson
Matthew Thompson and Cheyanne
Sanders announce the birth of their son, Jackson Sky Thompson, born on October 15, 2025. Jackson weighed 6 pounds, 9 1/2 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. His arrival was welcomed by his brother Marcus, 1. Jackson is the grandson of Safety Manager Michael Hernandez and his wife Elisa. Michael is based in Houston, Texas.
Ollie Renee Robbins
Kolton and Lexi Robbins announce the birth of their daughter, Ollie Renee Robbins, born on October 29, 2025. Ollie weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. Kolton is a railcar repairman at the Coffeyville Repair and Maintenance Terminal in Kansas.
Team Member Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following team members celebrating December anniversaries:
1 Year:
Katie Austerman, China Bosh, Abbott Brett, Adam Brickerd, Jessica Carrier, Matthew Carter, Jarlov Craig, Raymond Degree, Alex Esters, Winton Fernandez, Daniela Gonzalez, Jacob Guerra, Blythe Hinan, Angelito Hurt, Townsend Jeremy, Randall Jernigan, Kordon Johns, Cooper King, Joseph Lally, Amanda Lambert, Tammy Lange, Rebeca Lee, Abigayle Luther, Matthew Matula, David May, Austin McCartney, Justina MenjivarRodriguez, Russell Moore, Duke Morris, Camisha Paul, James Payton, Christian Ramirez, Daniel Rilea, Christian Robertson, Michael Sharp, LaShawna SimsNavarre, Ty Smith, Benjamin Staal, Antoine Stuckey, Fraser Swayde, Austin Thieret, David Turner, Luke Uhlich, Cole Wageman, Jaechad Washington, Michael Wells, Darius Williams, Tyrika Williams, Joseph Woodson, Eulalio Zamora
2 Years:
Travis Branscome, Stacey Campbell, William Canida, Isaiah Carmouche, Parker Church, Shane Comp, Alvaro Cuevas, Chloe Daleo, Ireland David, Theron Diosdado, Celina Garza, Steven Gwaltney, Markus Hager, Hind Jason, Branden Johnson, Hillary Johnson, McCormack Jordan, Aaron Keith, Trent Kollock, Brandon Kramer, Christopher Krupp, Allan Lawsan, Logan Matt, Merle McClure, Daniel McSwain, Lexi Meyer, Kyle Michalek, Raymond Morley, Keeton Mumford, Matthew Nickoloff, Creston Rodney, Tristan Scott, Michael Self, Rodney Shaw, Jeffrey Sheeks
3 Years:
Eliecer Alfaro, Dillon Andrews, Kash Buckner, Keating Cain, Tyler Chandler, Jason DeShong, Wendell Elzy, Antonio Gonzalez, Brenton Hendrickson, Amairany Hernandez, Van Akker Joel, Camilla Johansson, Eldridge Johnson, Katie Johnson, Ward Joshua, Robert Kanski, NuRonn King, Ryan LeDuff, Trenna Lemons, Lock Natasha, Thirkateh Nikhil, Matthew Nistico, Reginald Pardue, Daniel Perez, Chapman Reuben Dane, Daniel Rowlands, Jody Sayson, Tracey Schnebly, Windie Sharer, Aubrey Stafford, JaMarcus White, Symeon Whiteside, Austin Williams
4 Years:
Halliwell Adam, Duane Akkerman, Tololeski Aleksandar, Garcia Alexander, Renko Alfred, McCabe Anthony, Grlic Anton, Rory Bradley, Packham Brett, Sakoff Brett, Noah Burns, Ward Cameron, Blanch Chad, Lewis Christopher Ashley, Briggs Clark, Michelle Cosner, Herbert Daniel, Koloski Daniel, Burton David, Yates Dennis, Toskovski Dragi, Nicol Ellis, Alysha Ford, Robert Frizell, Shakeshaft Gary, McGlashan Geoffrey, Derek Goodwin, Horobin Graham, Smith Grant, Marsh Gregory, Rushea Hodge, Toskovski Jamie, McPhee Jason, Garvey Jed, Nicol Jeremy, Garner John, Morse Joseph, Doyle Joshua, Windisch Joshua, O’Brien Kyle, Kaitlyn Lustig, Goncalves Manuel, Anderson Mark, Daniel Martin, Fowler Mathew, Kennedy Matthew, Weaver Matthew, Picardo Mays, Ward Micheal, Walter Miller, Kyle Moore, Briffa Nicolas, Daniel Noah, Bentley
Paul, Mawson Paul, Reshandia Phillips, Michael Poole, Spencer Reid, Cook Robert, Kissell Ronald, Jennifer Schroeder, Murphy Scott, Neaves Scott, Kaleb Sedlock, Doyle Shane, Mills Shane, Partridge Shane, Chester Steven, Eynstone Steven, Carter Tracy, Tololeski Vasko
5 Years:
Austin Allen, Drew Andreas, Joe Critchley, Nathan Grimm, Amber Litke, Jeremiah Llewellyn, Patrick Michalski, Shanks Myles, Levi Phelps, Joseph Plowman, Aaron Rachal, Robert Richie, Adam Schwarzkopf, Justin Studaker, Matthew Ware
6 Years:
Timothy Allen, Jessica Austin, Jeffery Bell, Blake Blair, Clayton Bringer, Kraig Butcher, Matthew Davis, Ruben De Leon, Robin Fish, Robert Harvey, Michael Hawkins, Benjamin Jackson, Stephen Krupp, Jacob Linnebur, Rojelio Mancias, Kyle Morgan, Brandon Neal, Reandell Poindexter, Branden Shirley, Daniel Villamaria, William Vinciguerra
7 Years:
Steven Bernard, Anthony Caruthers, Drew Davied, Alison Denzel, Christopher Goodwin, Rodney Huffman, Robert Lopata, Dominic Nicosia, Robert Snyder, Tayler Wright
8 Years:
Steven Bochman, Justin Brewster, James Clinton, Casey Ediger, David Glover, Christopher Guillot, David Holt, Marcus Johnson, Perry Lambert, Michael Moore,
Team Member Anniversaries
David Paspalofski, Daniel Rowden, Wendy Trevizo, James Warma, Jennifer Welch, Jesse Winegarner
9 Years:
Joel Gibson, Michael Goss, James Langan, Kyle Loofboro, John Turner, Michele Valdivia, Madison Williams
10 Years:
Mark Coronado, John Peterson, Robert Rogers, Tyler Roshong
11 Years:
Lindsey Alexander, Rebecca Armentrout, David Baudoin, Jeffrey Brawley, Jared Duyck, Nathan Higgins, Lena Kebert, Gus Luquette, Jerrad Read, Latorrance Taylor, Leah Woods
12 Years:
Jansen Van Vuuren Ferdinand, Stephen Potts, Joshua Roberts, Tiffany Schmidt, Nancy Vargas
13 Years:
Bradley Beckner, Kyle Brown, Michelle Ivey, Brenna Prestholt
14 Years:
Dexter Cahill, Ryan Krull, Christopher Walther, Steven Wisniewski
15 Years:
Luscombe Kerry, Lisa Powell, Gregory Rieben
16 Years:
Timothy Eccles, George Freeman, Christopher Jackson, Charles Price, Eugene Stevens, Montez Tedford, Joel Wilmoth
17 Years: Daniel Giacalone
18 Years: Richard Buehre
19 Years: Transito Pedraza
20 Years: Cedric Bonner, Joshua Williams
21 Years:
Michael Hensley, Rafael Hernandez, Crezentia Van Becelaere
22 Years: Anthony Clark, Stephanie Mize, Ismael Mondragon
23 Years: John DeLeonyPena, Craig Richey
24 Years: Johnny Johnson, David Larch
27 Years: Richard Ofiara
28 Years: Anthony Tillman
30 Years: Alex Contreras, Israel Garcia, Bryan Miller, Roger Schaalma
31 Years: Michael Carr
32 Years: Sherry Baker-Miser
35 Years: Claude McGuff
47 Years: Roderick Bodfield