Detailing All That’s New at the Fryburg Dedicated Terminal
Left to right: Safety Coordinator Vaughn Appleman, Watco Terminal Manager Alan Cheek
You betcha we’re excited about the many changes happening at the Fryburg Dedicated Terminal in North Dakota. One new face at the terminal is Site Safety Coordinator Vaughn Appleman. He’s a recent graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma, where he was also a student-athlete on the football team. He’s quickly adapted after moving more than 1,000 miles away from home. “My blood family may be far away,” he said, “but I’ve found a new family in Watco. Being in sports my whole life, I love being on a new team, the Watco team.” This location also has a new terminal manager. Earlier this summer, Division B Vice President Kevin Roth promoted longtime Watco team member Alan Cheek to this leadership role. Cheek previously served as trainmaster for the Fryburg Terminal since 2019. Before that he worked at Watco’s Yellowstone Valley Railroad for nearly 10 years. Roth said, “I want to give all team members the opportunity to grow. Alan consistently steps up to help the customer in Fryburg. He has certainly earned the opportunity to lead this team.” Since taking on this new role, one of many initiatives Cheek leads is growing the team. The terminal is currently hiring for multiple positions including transload operators and conductors. These positions are 12 hour shifts, 7 days on and 7 days off. And since some team members commute several hours to work, company-owned housing is available to rent near the worksite. As the Fryburg team continues to grow, Roth is confident about the direction the terminal is headed. “Our No. 1 resource is our team members. We want to create a culture they want to be a part of and that reflects Watco’s Foundation Principles: value our customer, value our people, and safely improve every day.”
August 2022 | The Dispatch 5
