The newsletter for Watco Companies February 2017, Volume 18, Issue 2 Growing business in the SKOL wins Business of the Year Award Great Northwest The South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) was recently awarded the Cherryvale The team on The Great Northwest Railroad facility is that it will allow CHS Primeland to Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year (GRNW) recently completed work on helping one purchase and store fertilizer outside of the normal Award at their annual banquet. Shirley Ann of its valued and long-term Customers further spring and fall fertilizer seasons. CHS Primeland Hogben, Chamber Board Member, thanked grow their business in eastern Washington and will move both dry and liquid fertilizers, includ- the SKOL and Watco for their participation in northcentral Idaho. ing urea, phosphates, potash, the community and mentioned how the town On January 3, a GRNW train thyosol, and liquid phosphates. loves to see the Cherryvale Charger locomotive crew placed the first dozen cars Moreover, they will have the pulling trains through the area. at the new CHS Primeland fer- ability to blend and produce Attendees also thanked Watco Founder Dick tilizer storage and production products at the plant. Webb and the Heart of the Heartlands group facility at the Port of Wilma, “It’s important for the for restoring the depot in Cherryvale and Washington. The project’s growth of our company,” keeping the town from losing that meaningful completion is the culmination of several years Mingo said, adding that CHS Primeland will piece of history. of work for CHS Primeland and GRNW Team move several hundred carloads annually on the "Watco has always understood the impor- Members, which included extensive site selection GRNW to the facility. tance of being good neighbors and partners and track work, with the GRNW Operating and “The GRNW has just been awesome,” he added. with the communities we travel through and Track Teams providing assistance and expertise “The team there has been great to work with and work in. Cherryvale is no exception. The city throughout the project. we have really appreciated the help that you have has been a great place for the SKOL to call “Rail is extremely important to this facility,” provided throughout this process.” home. The community involvement has been Ken Mingo, manager of the Port of Wilma facility, Stacy Grant, general manager of the GRNW, outstanding," said Jimmy Patterson, general said. “It gives us options to bring in product from said he and his team are thankful for the faith manager for the SKOL. all parts of the country. It is just critical to our CHS Primeland has placed in the railroad and his "We are looking forward to continuing to business.” team. foster an already great relationship with the Mingo noted that CHS Primeland has moved “The GRNW Team greatly appreciates the trust businesses, government, and people of Cher- fertilizer onto the GRNW in the past, but the new that CHS Primeland has placed in our railroad,” ryvale and the surrounding areas." Port of Wilma facility, called the CHS Primeland he said. “The new Wilma facility represents a Port of Wilma Agronomy Plant, increases the significant investment in infrastructure for CHS company’s capacity seven fold. In addition to Primeland on our railroad. We will work hard fertilizer, CHS Primeland also moves barley from each and every day to continue to keep that trust. the GRNW. The entire GRNW Team is eager to grow and “We have 10 retail agronomy locations that the maintain our partnership with this valued long- facility will serve,” he added. term Customer.” Mingo said the primary benefit of the new - Ted Kadau Vice President Commercial Awards given out at the Annual Cherryvale Chamber of Commerce Banquet were Volun- teer of the Year, Charlie Blanchard; Outstanding Service, Janet Plumley; and Business of the Year, GRNW Crew Members Chris Haddow, Mike Hubbs, and Clay Morgan work to spot the first 12 carloads of with Jimmy Patterson, general manager, accept- fertilizer at the new CHS Primeland Port of Wilma Agronomy Plant. Completion of the project represents ing the award for the South Kansas and Okla- the culmination of several years of hard work for CHS Primeland and GRNW Team Members. homa Railroad Team. #WatcoMoves STAT center graduates five Editor’s note: We’re kicking off a new feature in The Watco reached a milestone in Alabama pen. Dispatch and on our social media accounts (Face- last month as the first class completed “This is a big step for Watco that will book, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn). #Watco- ground school training for conductors at directly impact recruitment, training, and Moves will feature a product that Watco transports the Watco Safety Through Awareness and performance,” Smith said. on its destination to the end user. Training(STAT) Center in Birmingham. Instructors at the new Birmingham center The class included Coy Haralson, Jon-Max include Jeff Holden, a Watco instructor for Herman, and Kevin Lee from the Baton four years, Brad Hayes, who has held several Rouge Southern, James Rutherford from roles in the rail industry, Todd Hamilton, Cicero Central in Chicago, and Chance Che- who has extensive knowledge of distributive noweth from the South Kansas and Okla- power, and Mike Smith, director of engi- homa Railroad in Kansas. neering training, and Mike Milligan, a track “All five did well, each had their own chal- trainer with Watco since 2012. lenges and strengths, but all finished with In addition to those instructors, Herod’s high marks,” said Travis Herod, senior vice team includes 40 people, from Philadelphia to president of safety and training. Florida, who work daily to ensure safety. Previously done in the field, trainings used “When I began in 2005, we had seven to be limited to “whatever we had on hand,” people,” he said. “We’ve grown so much. Now Herod said. we have 36 railroads, more than 30 switching Product: Malt “We’d send instructors to geographic loca- locations, plus all the terminals and ports.” tions wherever it was needed the most, and That team handles audits and includes envi- Used for: Sierra Nevada Beer they’d set up in hotel conference rooms or ronmentalists who deal with air permits, wa- Location: Blue Ridge Southern - BLU depot offices — wherever they could find a ter permits, and discharge. Instructors handle place, and that wasn’t optimum for anyone,” manager training, recertification training, If you’re gathering with friends and family watch- Herod said. OSHA/FRA compliance training, and track ing the Super Bowl and enjoying a cold Sierra The new center means training in a stan- inspection training in 35 to 40 class offerings. Nevada beer, thank the Team on the BLU! The Blue dardized way, so it’s the same for everyone “We’re not just a rail company,” Herod said. Ridge Southern Railroad, Watco’s first property in and is consistent with the same curriculum, “We’ve got terminals and ports dealing with North Carolina, was started in 2014. It hauls the instructors, and equipment. hazardous materials, tug boats, boat pilots malt that’s used to craft Sierra Nevada Beer, from Railroads fly team members to Birming- and deck hands, people who operate heavy Asheville to Fletcher, N.C., after it’s imported to the ham, where they are picked up at the airport machinery, and everybody has to have some and shuttled between their hotels and the kind of training. Through it all, safety comes U.S. from Western Canada. training center. first.” At Fletcher, it’s transloaded by Sierra Nevada to Noon meals are provided, and extended- - Andra Bryan Stefanoni, Contributing Writer truck to their brewery a few miles away. stay hotel rooms include full kitchens — a BLU Commercial Manager Brigid Rich makes home away from home, Herod explained, so sure the cars remain moving and the Customer gets “there’s nothing to worry about except focus- what they need throughout the process. Last fall, ing on what they’re trying to learn.” during the busy season, the brewery ran out of malt. “They are away from the usual distractions “They were the first Customer we served that of home, and it’s completely hands on, so they night to make sure they didn’t run out,” Rich said. are immersed in what they’re learning,” he “We want to make sure our Customers never go into said. “All they have to worry about is get to shut-down mode; if we can do anything to prevent class on time, learn, go back to the hotel, and that, we will.” study their workbooks in the evenings to help Rich was proud to see Watco’s efforts pay off re- prepare for the next day’s class.” cently when she picked up an issue of “Food & Wine Now, the first class of five are headed back Magazine.” In it, brewers and food critics chose the to their railroads to begin the on-the-job 25 most important craft beers ever brewed. In the training process, Herod said. They’ll be in the field, assigned to a peer trainer for two to No. 1 spot: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. three months, and then be certified to become conductors. Six more are headed to Birming- About the BLU The first five Watco Team Members to gradu- ham for a class in February, and a ribbon ate from the STAT Center are (l-r) Chance Che- Named for the Blue Ridge Mountains that over- cutting is slated for April. noweth (SKOL), Coy Haralson (BRS), Jon Max look the scenic railroad, the BLU operates 92 miles Watco Chief Operating Officer Dan Smith Herman (BRS), James Rutherford (CERR), and of track consisting of three branch lines that feed praised Herod and the team that made it hap- Kevin Lee (BRS).