INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have ratified a new four-year agreement with Alstom, the contract operator of Maryland Area Rail Commuter trains. The union also announced that train and engine service employees at Watco’s Austin Western Railroad have voted to join the union. The contract with Alstom, retroactive […]
PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Thirteen cars of an Ann Arbor Railroad train derailed early today (Feb. 18, 2026), leading to road closures that could last for several days. The Pittsfield Township Police said in a Facebook post that the police and fire departments were dispatched to the derailment scene at 5:06 a.m. No injuries were reported […]
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Colorado Pacific Railroad and Weskan Grain, two subsidiaries of the Soloviev Group, this week filed a federal court suit that alleges Union Pacific Railroad and regional railroad Kansas & Oklahoma have conspired to prevent westbound grain moves over Colorado Pacific. The plaintiffs claimed that UP and Watco Cos.’ K&O are using […]
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Watco is looking to grow its portfolio with the acquisition of a 7-mile short line railroad serving Oak Ridge, Tenn. The short line holding company filed its verified notice of exemption to the Surface Transportation Board on Jan. 8, seeking to acquire and operate 7 miles of rail line and 6.6 […]
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Watco has announced changes in its leadership, adding new or additional roles for several of its top executives. CEO Dan Smith, who joined Watco in 2009 and became CEO in 2018, has also become executive chairman of the Watco board of directors, while Rick Baden, previously executive vice president and chief financial […]
WASHINGTON — Gary Vaughn, who championed safety during more than 20 years in the short line industry, has been named by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association as the recipient of its 2026 Schlosser Distinguished Service Award. Vaughn will be honored at the ASLRRA’s annual conference and exhibition, April 12-14, 2026, in Minneapolis, […]
Athearn Genesis HO EMD F45 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $219.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $319.99 Era: 1969+ to 2000+ (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn Genesis HO EMD F45 features: All-wheel drive and electrical pickup Body-mounted […]
ST. LOUIS — Intramotev, the technology company building autonomous battery-electric freight cars, announced on Tuesday that Watco will begin using Intramotev’s TugVolt system, starting at its transload terminal in Wood River, Ill., in January. “At Watco, we’re always exploring new ways to support our customers,” Aaron Jensen, Watco’s senior vice president of operations solutions and […]
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators today gave the green light to Watco’s acquisition of the 420-mile Michigan regional Great Lakes Central Railroad. Watco has been an equity investor in the GLC since 2013 and in March sought to have its acquisition of the railroad exempt from Surface Transportation Board review, which is common in straightforward shortline […]
HARTFORD, Wis. — Three crew members were injured when a Wisconsin & Southern Railroad train derailed today (June 30, 2025) in the town of Hartford, near Independence Ave. The derailment occurred about 9:30 a.m. Hartford Fire Chief Tony Burgard told a press conference that the three people had walked to a nearby road and were […]
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators want Watco to provide more information about its proposed acquisition of Michigan short line Great Lakes Central before they will allow the deal to proceed. Watco on March 6 sought to have the deal to acquire the 420-mile Great Lakes Central exempt from a Surface Transportation Board review, as is common […]
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Short line holding company Watco is adding another railroad to its stable: Great Lakes Central, the operator of 420 miles of state-owned trackage in Michigan. Watco already knows the railroad well. It has been an equity investor in the GLC since 2013. “The Great Lakes Central Railroad has been a vital part […]
