Stillwater Central Railroad Lands on RT&S Top Projects List

How many days does it take to rebuild not one but two bridges? At Watco’s Stillwater Central Railroad (SLWC), construction and restoration of service took 24 days from start to completion. The speedy, simultaneous rebuilding of Bridges 659.4 and 660.1 earned the SLWC a place on this year’s Railway Track & Structures Top Projects list.

Watco Bridge Manager Mike McDermott and SLWC Roadmaster Kenneth Brown led rebuilding efforts the day after a wildfire burned over 6 square miles and destroyed both bridges. With no alternate routes, the SLWC was forced to halt service to and from a rock quarry until reconstruction was complete.

McDermott and Brown worked with Watco Buyer Shannon Kondracki and Purchasing Manager Alicia Stimpson to source construction supplies. Materials came from as far away as Illinois and South Dakota.

Brown said, “Even with the nation’s supply chain challenges, they were able to get us materials as fast as possible.”

Supplies also came from a local source. The same quarry on the SLWC that had to halt railcar service supplied rock, transported by dump trucks, to both sites. Rock was used to build an access road near Bridge 660.1 and rebuild both bridges. In total, 1,200 tons, or 2.4 million pounds of rock were used.

Before

Repairs in progress

Rebuilding Bridge 660.1 brought a new first for our team. It’s the first steel pile and precast concrete bridge that Watco designed and built with help from third-party engineers and contractors.

“Compared to timber, these materials are considered very long lasting,” McDermott said. “It’s more expensive per foot for construction, material, and labor. But overall, it’s a much better product in the long run.”

Just 15 days after the fire, initial track service was restored to both bridges. Full operations resumed on April 6.