The newsletter for Watco
Safety Anniversaries
June 1 – Cincinnati Switching (OH) – 2 years
June 5 – Deer Park Switching (TX) – 4 years
June 13 – Columbus Dedicated Terminal (MS) – 3 years
June 15 – Industry Marine Terminal (PA) – 5 years
June 16 – Lubbock & Western Railway (TX) – 4 years
June 18 – Prentiss Industrial Rail Services (AB) Canada – 1 year
June 22 – Dallas Mobile Repair (TX) – 5 years
June 24 – Chicago Marine Terminal (IL) – 4 years
June 26 – Vicksburg Southern Railroad (MS) – 2 years
June 27 – Queens Dedicated Terminal (NY) – 10 years
June 29 – Brooklyn (Hamilton) MTS Dedicated Terminal (NY) – 2 years
DID KN W YOU
July is UV Safety Awareness Month
Wear sunscreen to block ultraviolet radiation that can cause sunburn and skin cancer. Under Watco’s HSA and FSA plans, sunscreen is a qualified medical expense and can be purchased with your Benefits card at the FSA and HSA stores.
New Warehouse Opens at Port Birmingham
Years of planning, coordination, and work have come to fruition as Watco’s new 25,000-square-foot warehouse at Port Birmingham in Alabama is officially open for business.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on June 4, with members of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Birmingham Jefferson County Port Authority, state and local officials, and Watco team members there to support the new venture.
The warehouse was designed with steel industry customers in mind, as a way for them to securely store their product where it can quickly be shipped via several modes of transportation. Watco’s Birmingham Terminal Railway provides easy access to BNSF, CSX, and Norfolk Southern’s rail network. It’s also located within 20 miles of multiple interstate highways and provides barge access via the Black Warrior River.
“We look forward to leveraging our expanded capabilities to enhance service for our partners and the broader industry,” said Cody Gilliland, vice president of sales.
The connectivity and capabilities seamlessly connect local shippers with domestic and international markets. Whether shipping steel products by rail, river, or road, the new warehouse provides a secure hub to facilitate growth.
“This project goes beyond storing steel coils; it’s set to unlock economic potential, strengthen our supply chain, and support thriving local businesses and jobs,” said David Russell, executive director of the Birmingham Jefferson County Port Authority.
“Stay tuned to see what is next because this group is just getting started.”
UP Honors Watco with Safety Award
Watco recently received a 2024 UP Chemical Transportation Safety Pinnacle Award, recognizing our team’s commitment to safe practices.
To qualify, companies must meet criteria such as zero Non-Accidental Releases (NARs) for hazardous shipments, shipping at least 100 railcars in 2024, and adhering to safety best practices. Watco did just that.
VP of Safety Brad Walker shared, “We’re incredibly proud of our customers and team members for prioritizing safety at every step. This achievement is a direct result of their hard work — our customers ensuring shipments are prepared properly and our team members in the field going above and beyond to make sure every shipment is safe and ready for transport.”
Custom Railroad Shirts
Now Available on Watco Gear
We’re excited to announce that you can now order Comfort Colors T-shirts featuring your favorite railroad logos on Watco Gear.
Each shirt will have the Watco logo on the chest pocket and your selected railroad logo on the back. These high-quality, ultra-comfortable shirts come in eight colors: black, blue jean, granite, gray, ivory, khaki, sandstone, and white.
Whether you’re showing pride in your railroad or just looking for a great shirt, this is a perfect way to do both. Order yours here
Celebrating Watco’s Difference Makers
It’s time to reveal Watco’s newest Be the Difference award winners! Join us in congratulating Jason Green, Hunter Perryman, Damian Morris, Devan Luke, Drew Martin, Garrett Ferree, and David Jackson. Each recipient will receive a $250 cash prize for their outstanding efforts.
Watco EVP and Chief Business Officer Rachael Peterson said, “Teamwork makes everything possible. We have amazing team members who contribute to making a difference. To this quarter’s award winners, thank you for your great work and doing what matters.”
One Watco Award - Given to an individual or group of team members whose teamwork generates an exceptional result for Watco or a customer.
Despite freezing temperatures and power outages, the Plaquemine Industrial Rail team kept operating at their 24/7 facility. Their quick thinking and teamwork ensured operations continued smoothly.
Keep reading to learn how they stepped up.
Extra Mile Award - Given to an individual or a group of team members who go above and beyond the call of duty at work or in the community.
Equipment Coordinator Drew Martin does his best to represent Watco. His dedication shines through whether he’s ensuring freight cars move efficiently, solving complex billing issues, or volunteering.
Read the rest of his story.
Safe Performance Award - Given to an individual or group of team members who take action to ensure safety for fellow team members, customers, suppliers, property, or community.
A missing person was recently found safe thanks in part to Lori Vaden and Josh Golightley, conductors/engineers at Watco’s South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL).
Find out how they made a difference.
David Jackson and Garrett Ferree Crafton Transload Terminal (PA)
Drew Martin Watco Fleet Management Pittsburg (KS)
Jason Green, Hunter Perryman, Damian Morris, and Devan Luke Plaquemine Industrial Rail Services Plaquemine (LA)
It’s Time to Schedule Annual Physicals
With summer nearly halfway over, now is the perfect time to schedule your children’s annual physicals before the new school year begins. While you’re at it, it’s also a good time to make an annual exam appointment for yourself.
If you or your family members are enrolled in a Watco health plan, annual physicals are covered at 100%. Other wellness services fully covered under a Watco health plan include:
• Annual blood work
• Colonoscopy
• Mammograms
• Routine vaccinations
If you or your family do not currently have a primary care physician, scheduling a physical is an easy way to establish one. Once you select a primary care physician, make sure to complete the action on Watco Rewards to receive one entry into the monthly drawing for a chance to win a $200 e-gift card! To access Watco Rewards, log in to go.watco.com, and select the Benefitplace tile, or use the Benefitplace app. Under Quick Links, select Watco Rewards.
For those enrolled in Watco’s Critical Illness benefit, you are eligible to receive $50 from Voya after completing an annual exam like a physical. To file your claim, call Voya at (877) 236-7564 or log in to the website.
Fireworks Safety
Follow these tips this Independence Day
• Set off fireworks in an open area, away from buildings and brush
• Establish a safety perimeter for spectators
• Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby in case of a fire
Operation Lifesaver Hosts Emergency Notification System Sign Awareness Day
Last month, Operation Lifesaver hosted its first-ever Emergency Notification System (ENS) Sign Awareness Day. It’s a day dedicated to educating the public on how to respond to emergencies or problems at railroad crossings.
Because safety never stops, help us spread the word with your friends and family on what to do if they spot an emergency at a crossing:
1) Find the blue and white ENS sign
2) Call the phone number that’s listed
3) Report the crossing number and emergency
Team Member to Retire After 25 Years
After 25 years at the mobile mechanical shop in Medina, Texas, Railcar Coordinator Jesus Cepeda is set to retire in July 2025. In 2022, he was recognized as a Be the Difference Safe Performance Award winner for helping rescue a driver from a burning car.
Director of Mobile Operations Richardjames Drummondo expressed his admiration for Cepeda, saying, “Jesus is an all-around great guy. As a U.S. Navy veteran, it’s in his core to help others.”
Drummondo highlighted Cepeda’s expertise in railcar maintenance, noting, “Jesus is the go-to guy for anything railcar. He’s always offering invaluable advice and catching needed repairs. He’s been an incredible asset to the Watco team, and we’ll deeply miss him.”
Operations Manager Joe Torres added, “Jesus is a true team player who always looks out for everyone. We are all going to miss him and are immensely grateful for his contributions over the years.”
Rickey Moore’s Lasting Louisville Legacy
Rickey Moore spent 46 years working on the Ohio River in Kentucky. He left a legacy at Watco’s Louisville River Road Terminal by passing on his equipment operating knowledge and sharing his experiences before his retirement on May 1.
“Rickey’s been a part of this terminal since it opened,” said Josh Joslin, terminal manager. “He unloaded barges with the first crawler cranes they had, then moved over to the material handlers after Watco took over in 2016.”
Moore unloaded thousands of barges during his career, handling everything from grain and agricultural products to coal and larger special projects. Joslin says there’s not a piece of equipment Moore couldn’t run.
“He spent most of his time on the material handler, but if we needed him to run an excavator, loader, skid steer, or anything else, he could do it,” Joslin said. “He’s just an all-around equipment operator and stepped up to run any kind of equipment that was needed for the job.”
That experience has been vital in keeping the terminal running smoothly and safely. He shared what he knew and helped train new team members over the years.
“He enjoyed what he did and liked working on the river,” Joslin said. “He was always quick with a joke and had something to say, whether it was encouragement or how we could do something better.”
Moore returned to the terminal mid-June to enjoy a lunch with the team. In his retirement, he’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife, working on projects around the house, and cooking lots of food on his smoker. The Louisville team plans to stay in touch with him, and they look forward to him stopping by from time to time in the future.
Team members from Watco Greens Port (Houston, TX), April Rose and Steve Potts (of Credit and Collections in Pittsburg, KS), and SAP Functional Analyst Heather Weber along with her family sport this year’s Watco Independence Day T-shirts.
Fundraising Success Will Benefit Military Organization
Watco is contributing more than $4,200 from its annual Independence Day T-shirt sale to the Stop Soldier Suicide organization.
Stop Soldier Suicide is dedicated to reducing military suicide rates. They use data and research to better understand root causes of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and provide free counseling and crisis intervention.
“We are deeply grateful to Watco for their generous support of Stop Soldier Suicide,” said Claire Lankford, the organization’s manager of national fundraising events, “and for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we serve veterans and service members in their most difficult moments.” Lankford said that because of Watco’s fundraising efforts, hours of clinical telehealth services and critical resources are provided to veterans and service members in need—at no cost to them. “Every day, individuals and companies like Watco bring action to our mission, and we firmly believe that, together, we can end the suicide epidemic within the military community.”
It’s the seventh consecutive year that Watco has created and sold Watco-branded, patriotic merchandise for Independence Day and donated proceeds to military and veteran nonprofits. The sale of 668 shirts this year brings Watco’s total contributions to over $31,000 since 2019, the first year of what has become an annual fundraiser.
Collaborating with KDOT on Crossings
The intersections of busy highways and train corridors create a lot of stress on railroad crossings. The South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) hopes a new style of crossing they’ve installed across two busy highways in Kansas will hold up better than previous iterations.
SKOL Roadmaster Mike Mulnix and his Maintenance of Way team have replaced crossings at US 400 highway near Cherokee and US 169 highway near Cherryvale multiple times over the past decade. They tried traditional concrete panel and rubber crossings, but neither could hold up to thousands of daily vehicle crossings and regular train traffic.
Looking for a longer-term solution, Mulnix came across a university student’s master’s project researching concrete tub crossings. After reading the paper, he dove into more research. The rail is secured directly to precast concrete panels on these crossings. There is no ballast or ties. The panels are laid directly on top a well-packed subgrade.
“They have a bigger footprint and fewer components. They’re more stable, less prone to settling, and there are fewer things that can fail or wear,” said Mulnix. “I reached out within Watco, and the Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad installed a similar one at a heavily trafficked crossing not long ago. They’ve been happy with it.”
The team installed the Cherokee crossing first, where they learned a lot of lessons that would be useful immediately. The Cherryvale crossing began deteriorating just as the other finished. The SKOL approached the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and presented the idea of installing the concrete tubs across Highway 169.
“There are two critical parts to any crossing. There’s the crossing itself, and then there’s the approach,” Mulnix said. “KDOT offered to grind out the old asphalt and lay a new approach at the level of the new crossing.”
By working with KDOT and using what they learned from the first install, the 169 crossing was installed in about half the time and ended up costing about 20% less. Now, these two busy highways and a railroad that’s busier than ever have crossings that should be safe and smooth for years. Some of these types of crossings have been in use on other railroads for nearly a decade with little to no maintenance.
“KDOT really came through for us on this one. We both want better, safer crossings for drivers and trains,” said Mulnix. “This partnership showed how quickly we can make improvements for everyone when we work together. I hope we can do more of these going forward.”
New Arrivals
Callie Jo Mays
Taylor and Anna Mays announce the birth of their daughter, Callie Jo Mays, born May 20, 2025. Callie weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and measured 18½ inches. Callie is the granddaughter of Bryan Waldon, senior manager of construction and field management.
Siena Marie-Therese Peot
Brad and Caitlyn Peot announce the birth of their daughter, Siena Marie-Therese Peot, born June 5xw, 2025. Siena weighed 9 pounds, 12 ounces, and measured 21½ inches. Siena was welcomed home by her brother Kolbe, 2½.
Brad is the director of sales, based out of Wisconsin and covering the Agawa Canyon Railroad, Elwood & Joliet Southern Railroad, Fox Valley & Lake Superior Rail System, Grand Elk Railroad - Newberry, and Wisconsin & Southern Railroad.
1 Year:
Team Member Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following team members celebrating July anniversaries:
Keondrea Alexander, Blade Baldonado, Baljit Bhalay, Douglas Boaz, Marshall Brown, Joshua Bullitt, Casey Burke, Dylan Carberry, George Carey, Alexander Castellanos, David Castillo, Frank Caylor, Andrea Cook, Jose Cruz, Justin Dombrowski, Luke Ellice, Ruben Espinoza, Brandon Gates, Alex Gonzales, Wyatt Gooch, Calvin Goodine, Dakota Goolsby, Braxton Harless, Brandon Harris, Luke Hatje, Michael Hawk, John Hayes, Zachariah Heinecke, Brian Hillard, Tucker Hoefer, Zach Hutchinson, Daniel Jones, John Jones, Kary Jones, Curtis King, Kyle Kinnan, Kelly Knight, Jose Limas, Addison Lobwein, Elizabeth Main, Jonathon Mcclure, Abigail Mcleod, Jake Miller, Logan Moir, Demetrius Moore, Johnathan Murray, Jennifer Nixon-Valdez, Andrew Orozco, Johnny Ortegon, Jordan Ortiz, Nathaniel Pellerin, Jose Perez, James Perkins, Kevin Phillips, Jonathan Rangel, Colton Reinhold, Wyatt Reynolds, Trenton Rodriguez, Matthew Rosalie, Mariella Roy, Sammy Salinas, Kayden Sanders, Blake Smith, George Stead, Jonathan Stevens, Evan Turner, Jacob Tuttle, Miguel Villalobos, Jose Vivanco Alonso, Jenny Weaver, Hannah Welch, Amber Wilkinson, Kyreece Willis
2 Years:
Joe Adame, Jinny Billings, Lawrence Black, Carson Bryant, Eric Cerven, Brad Coleman, Bobbi Copenhaver, Cynthia Corona, Kip Croft, Tyler Dunsworth, Bruce
Evans, Martyn Ferry, Darrion Garcia, Michael Gillette, Jordan Goecks, Bryar Green, Hadley Grende, Brady Haggard, Trysten Hoke, Ronald Homuth, Tyler Howard, Jajuan Hunter, DeAndre Joseph, Madalyn Kerfoot, Paul Leatso, Kieshawn Malone, Tyler Manharth, Turi Mellor, Malcolm Milverton, Logan Minor, Buddha Mishra, Matthew Naumovski, Travis Ozanich, Dion Perry, Kerry Pies, Matthew Randall, Seth Rhoads, Anthony Richardson, Brian Riggins, Scott Shannon, Armand Slaughter, Alexander Tenfel, Bradley Vinson, Jordon Walsingham, Jason Williams, Zhaviaun Wilson, Jacob Woodard, Scott Wylie, Ty Ybarra
3 Years:
Aaron Baumgarden, Darrell
Bradley, Jacob Brooks, Earnest Brown, Sylvia Budart, Jance Burris, Ian Cardiff, Jay Coomes, John Cooper, Andrew Davis, Charles Delgado, Kyle Dighton, Adam Doyle, Major Dunbar, Trinity Duos, Magally Gonzalez, Brandi Hawkins, Jennifer Hillis, Lee Jimmerson, Michael Jones, Danielle Lawler, Seth Lorio, Vern Lucas, Curtis Mack, Victoria Martinez, Joel MicaleDavid, Caleb Mills, Kevin Nolan, Norman Pattison, Joel Sciba, Stephen Shepherd, Tiffany Smith, Mary Tomas, Daniel Toskovski, Marco Trejo-hernandez, Linwood Williams, Jesse Ybarra
4 Years:
Lachlan Barnes, Jacob Bennett, Isaiah Casas, Dylan
Coles, William Crane, Dallas Decuir, David Delgado, Joseph Duscheck, Robert Ford, Earl Gresham, Gunnar Gronberg, Jorge Hernandez, Levi Hester, Aaron Hughes, Jessica Johnson, Matthew Jones, Rodolfo Lopez, Johnathan Mathis, Spencer McHugh, Justin Mcleod, Erik Mendoza, Timothy Merideth, Lisa Miller, Andrew Moran, Parker Neu, Jakson Pavlovich, Emiliano Perez, Seth Petit, Dusty Richardson, Michael Romo, Juan Romo Jr, Mitchell Rowe, Joseph Schlaff, Jeanette Streets, Jakob Tobler, Jason Washburn, Gus Zschech
5 Years:
Ellison Champagne, Raymond Cotterill, Steven Cottom, Jason Norris, Jaime Olivares, Bradly Shobert, Howard Wilkerson
6 Years:
Zachary Baden, Andrew Bearden, Caitlin Chiartano, Anthony DeLorenzo, Graeme Dunn, Caden Fritz, Kaytee Garoutte, Brandon Glover, Joshua Grimmer, Joseluis Guevara, Glen Jackson, Tyrone Jackson, Hamidreza Jadali, Troy Kutella, Trey Loya, Steven Olsen, Amie Proudfit, Jose Valentin, Evan Walker, Courtney Wolf, Alexis Worthington
7 Years:
Nabeel Alawi, Joseph Bargas, Veronica Briseno, Rolvin Colon Morales, Ever Cornejo, Len Crescenzo, Christopher Curtis, Sky Eisme, Jonathan James, Daniel Kirton, Christopher Mayers, Lemar McConnell, Robert Murphy,
Team Member Anniversaries
Guadalupe Olvera, Bryan Passon, Pamela Ridenour, Lawrence Rizzo, Kellen See, Francisco Silva, Jeffrey Thamer, Felipe Vega-Cervantes, Anna Williams
8 Years:
Joshua Ahrens, Susan Brooks, Anna Chatmon, Daniel Chauvin, Christopher Cline, Ricky Davis, Erick Diouf, Joseph Donaruma, Eddy Graham, Cody Harmon, Robert Hemingway, Debbie James, Aaron Klosterman, William Kothstein, Xavier Lopez, Travis Lowder, Nathan Powell, Dagen Reel, Benjamin Saenz, Joshua Strickland, Patrick Swann, Steven Thompson, Ernest Velasquez
9 Years:
Pedro Barron, Wesley Branham, Matthew Budda, Brandon Burlew, Sean Cochran, John Escobar, Carl Foster, Aaron Freeland, Charles Hamilton, Michael Kovarek, Charles Lee, Herbert McKinney, Keith Myles, Keith Pittman, Brien Runyon, Charles Snyder, Alan West
10 Years:
Cody Bell, Deena Christopher, Christopher Crumpton, Cameron Gonzales, Brad Hamlin, Gene Hernandez, Gerald Kattner, Noah Lucero, Heriberto Mendoza, Myra Shumate, Morgan Westhoff
11 Years:
Bret Burright, George Cabrera, James Carnes, Raul Gonzalez, Jeffrey Linville, Brittany Mays, Thomas Nicholson, Brock Parham, Lynda Patterson, James Welch
12 Years:
Brenda Antle, Christopher Bauder, Alan Beggs, John Gronberg, Edwardo Guerra, Nathan Holmes, Jacob Kleckner, Jacob Lipinski, David McCloud, Dane Rowe, Toni Scroggins, Bryan Waldon, David Wastak, Drew White
13 Years:
Jean Dor, Thomas Glover, Lucinda Grimes, Padmore Kufa, Michael
McAllister, Jeffrey Pacheco, Ronald Perkins, Somasodwa Sibanda, Charles Teeters, Joe Via
14 Years:
Joe Araujo, John Brown, Reginald Burks, Jacob McCullough, Freddie Rainey, Melissa Rains, Jose Rodriguez, Stacy Swinford
15 Years:
Joseph Bristow, Joe Fells, Matthew Hutcheson, Crystal Lancaster, Andrew Mitchell, Bryce Roberts, Tammy Springer
16 Years: Alvin Bartholomew, Ryan Cord er, Matthew Jackson, Gary Wagenseller
17 Years:
Garrett Bolyard, Carla Ewing, Timothy O’Shell, Judy Ozuna
18 Years:
Tandi Colibert, Bobby McFadden, Michael Milligan, Travis Thorpe
19 Years:
Kyle Jeschke, Matthew Lewis, Jennifer Muckala, Diana Peak, Kenneth Tober, Jeremy Tyler
20 Years:
Mitchell Hood, Cornelius Jones, Colby Jordan, Bridget Smith
21 Years: Laura Bolt
22 Years:
Beau Embrey, Royce Price, Daniel Salazar
24 Years: Lois Ziesenis
26 Years:
Derek Damesworth, Robert Hasheider, Jerry Waun
27 Years: Scott Rudolph
28 Years: Joseph Bennett
30 Years: James Riley
31 Years: Raymond Gray
33 Years: Joseph Leport
34 Years: Richard Mansfield
39 Years: David Bierman
40 Years:
Stephen Thornton, Jeff VanBuren
