Stillwater Central Railroad Lands on RT&S Top Projects List How many days does it take to rebuild not one but
Supplies also came from a local source. The same
two bridges? At Watco’s Stillwater Central Railroad
quarry on the SLWC that had to halt railcar service
(SLWC), construction and restoration of service
supplied rock, transported by dump trucks, to
took 24 days from start to completion. The speedy,
both sites. Rock was used to build an access road
simultaneous rebuilding of Bridges 659.4 and
near Bridge 660.1 and rebuild both bridges. In
660.1 earned the SLWC a place on this year’s
total, 1,200 tons, or 2.4 million pounds of rock were
Railway Track & Structures Top Projects list.
used.
Watco Bridge Manager Mike McDermott and
Rebuilding Bridge 660.1 brought a new first for our
SLWC Roadmaster Kenneth Brown led rebuilding
team. It’s the first steel pile and precast concrete
efforts the day after a wildfire burned over 6
bridge that Watco designed and built with help
square miles and destroyed both bridges. With
from third-party engineers and contractors.
no alternate routes, the SLWC was forced to halt service to and from a rock quarry until reconstruction was complete.
“Compared to timber, these materials are considered very long lasting,” McDermott said. “It’s more expensive per foot for construction, material,
McDermott and Brown worked with Watco Buyer
and labor. But overall, it’s a much better product in
Shannon Kondracki and Purchasing Manager
the long run.”
Alicia Stimpson to source construction supplies. Materials came from as far away as Illinois and South Dakota.
Just 15 days after the fire, initial track service was restored to both bridges. Full operations resumed on April 6.
Brown said, “Even with the nation’s supply chain challenges, they were able to get us materials as fast as possible.”
Ju.y 2022 | The Dispatch 5
