Sand Move Starts and Finishes with Watco Short Lines by Tracie Vanbecelaere Managing Editor

The newsletter for Watco Companies - August 2017, Volume 18, Issue 8 Sand move starts and finishes with Watco short lines by Tracie VanBecelaere Managing Editor There’s a lot of sand in Louisiana, but it’s not just another day at the beach. This sand, which is actually frac sand used in drilling, moves from Wis- consin down to Louisiana by rail, originating at one Watco short line, the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR), and ending at another, the Louisi- ana Southern Railroad (LAS). Although this particular move just began roll- ing in June of 2017, there is history behind the move that made it happen. The sand is being shipped from Badger Mining’s Fairwater mine in Utley, Wisconsin. Badger Mining merged with Atlas Resin Proppants in 2015 and that’s where the Watco connection began: Atlas had been shipping product on the LAS since 2010. Badger also has two other Watco destination termi- nals, Dore, North Dakota, and the Pecos Valley Southern Railway in Pecos, Texas. The primary difference between the shipments to Louisiana and the other locations is that this one will be consistent with an expected 2,880 railcars or 288,000 tons moving the first year. Steve Banker, Badger Mining’s logistics development manager, said, More than two million tons of sand is scheduled to ship annually from Bad- “When we need to research potential destination facilities to meet our Cus- ger Mining's Fairwater mine in Utley, Wisconsin, to Louisiana. The railcars tomer's needs, one of my first considerations is to see if there is a Watco rail- travel from Watco's Wisconsin & Southern Railroad to the CP and then the road or distribution point that services the Customer's area. Watco is always KCS with a final destination of the Louisiana Southern Railroad in Minden. willing to assist us in offering Customer solutions wherever they operate.” That confidence is appreciated by the Team members who have worked ered out to the oil and gas fields. Blake Smith is the general manager at the with Banker to bring the frac sand down to Louisiana. LAS and said he started out in the transload department when he began Joseph Bitner, LAS commercial manager, said, “We are excited to grow working for the railroad 10 years ago. our partnership with Badger Mining. The transload operation in Minden is Smith said, “We used to just have some of the car department go over to reflective of what you look for in a business partner. It took a lot of commu- do the transloading as needed. With this move, we have gone from having nication between the railroads and our Customer to make this work, and we three Team members dedicated to the transloading to nine full-timers.” were all proactive. It’s been awhile since we have seen this tonnage, and we The additional Team members were brought on to handle the increase anticipate that we will double it by the end of the year.” from loading 4 to 5 trucks per day to 60 to 75 trucks per day. Once the frac sand arrives in Louisiana, it is transloaded by the LAS Team Smith added, “We’ve seen our transloading business grow from just a few from rail to truck using a RBT (Rail Barge Truck) machine and then deliv- cars a month to what it is today. This is our baby and we are quite proud of how it’s grown.” Nothing beats a selfie in the sand. Katie Sackett (left) – WSOR Director of Commercial received a tour of the Badger Mining facility. Along for the tour were Badger Mining employees (l-r) Shelly Bernhagen, transportation, dis- LAS Team member Bradley Shows operates the RBT to unload the frac sand tribution, and logistics leader, Darian Kuglin, resource center associate, and from the railcars to trucks for delivery to the oil and gas fields. Nick Bartol, public relations leader. Watco celebrates the of By Andra Bryan Stefanoni Fourth July Contributing Writer The team members at the WTPS Oklahoma City facility who were at work servicing their Customers on the Fourth Team members at the OKC Terminal enjoyed a large spread to celebrate of July were treated to a barbecue rib and chicken meal the Fourth of July. furnished by Watco. It was prepared by Terminal Manager Thanks to all our Team members Tom Hansen in appreciation for their dedicated service and who work the holidays to serve our an outstanding first half of 2017. Customers! Almost 20 team members and a few truck drivers deliver- ing to the site enjoyed the meal, which was complete with all the trimmings. A pot luck dessert table was available for those who wanted to satisfy their sweet tooth afterwards and of course, ice cold watermelon to cool down from the Fourth of July heat. The Oklahoma City facility employs 36 Team members and is open 24/7, servicing a variety of Customers includ- ing several frac sand Customers that allowed the facility to load more than 15,000 truckloads from January through June. Hansen shared some exciting opportunities being pre- sented in the near future for Oklahoma City and the SLWC, and hosted a roundtable discussion. WTPS is a leader in bulk, break-bulk, and liquids rail/ truck transloading, railroad switching, warehousing, liquid tank storage, and barge and vessel loading/unloading. The Oklahoma City facility is served by the Stillwater Central WAMX 4174 leads train T004 into Milton, Wisconsin on Railroad (SLWC), which interchanges with three Class 1 July 4, 2017. The crew has decorated the cab and nose railroads: the BSNF, UP, and KCS. with three American flags to celebrate Independence Day. Photo: Scott Kuelz K&O Conductor Josh Sheets was working on the Fourth of July, but he still got to enjoy a few fireworks. His family was putting on a show in his parents’ driveway as he passed by in the locomotive! Shout out to all of the families who support our- Team members while they're get ting the job done! A flag cake was made for the OKC Team for des sert to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. - 2 • The Dispatch • August 2017 #WatcoMoves Cahokia Team member Editor’s note: Earlier this year, we kicked off a new feature in The is an everyday hero Dispatch and on our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) that features products Watco transports before they arrive at the end user. by Tracie VanBecelaere Managing Editor Product: Bradley fighting vehicles Used for: National Guard When Cahokia Leadman Aaron Garcia isn’t busy as a liquids ter- Location: Red House, Virginia minals operator on the Mississippi River, he takes on the daunting role of saving lives. While driving back to Illinois from a Florida vacation, Garcia witnessed a truck in front of him that was pulling a camper start to swerve. Garcia, who was with his wife Ka- tie and sons Camden, 6, and Behret, 1, warned them that something was going to happen. Cahokia Terminal Leadman Aaron The truck and camper began Garcia took a break on his drive swaying and then the truck lost The Kanawha River Railroad (KNWA), which runs from Ohio to home from vacation to rescue a control and both pivoted in front of West Virginia, typically moves carloads of product for the energy, family involved in an accident. them, catapulted into the air, and aggregate, agriculture, and chemical industries. Just as the nation was then flipped into the ditch. Garcia celebrating the Fourth of July, the railroad moved something different: was in the back of the truck. I don’t was able to slam on his brakes and Bradley fighting vehicles for the U.S. National Guard. know what would’ve happened to stop in time before his vehicle be- The vehicles, named after U.S. General Omar Bradley, were de- them all if they hadn’t been buckled came part of the accident. signed to transport infantry or scouts while providing cover fire to in,” said Garcia. “The older couple “There were a lot of fluids leaking suppress enemy troops and armored vehicles. were pretty scratched up but their from the vehicles so I ran over to The Guard needed to get 12 of them from Ft. Hood, Texas, to Red grandson looked unharmed. Even the truck to help the passengers out House, West Virginia, and a cold call in person by KNWA Commer- the little dog that the older man was while Katie called 911,” said Garcia. cial Manager Brigid Rich came at the perfect time. holding was OK.” “I made sure the passengers were Rich said the Norfolk Southern (NS) had moved various military Cahokia Terminal Manager Scott alert and then told them because vehicles and components into the Red House facility several years ago Schweitzer said, “I’m not surprised of the amount of fluid leaking, it using the line that runs from Refugee, Ohio, to Maben, West Virginia. at what Aaron did. He’s a dedicated was best to get them away from the Watco began leasing the line last year and the KNWA began running Team member who puts the needs vehicle.” operations on the 309 miles of track, so Rich took advantage of some of the terminal and his team mem- The accident broke the windshield free time to remind the Guard of the benefit of moving product by bers always above his own.” and the back window of the truck rail. As Garcia left the scene, he out and there was quite a bit of dirt “I had a little time in my schedule at the beginning of May, so I thought how quickly it happened that Garcia had to dig through to stopped in there at Red House one day to let the Guard know we’re and at the same time how some of it get the seat belts of the passengers here, we’re KNWA, and if they ever needed anything, to let us know,” seemed to move in slow motion.

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