Watco Welcomes the Verdigris Southern

Watco recently welcomed the Verdigris Southern Railroad (VESO) as it 46th short line railroad. The 3-mile line serves the Port of Inola in Oklahoma.

The VESO currently provides switching and interchange services for one customer. The paper products company received their first seven boxcars of compressed wood pulp in mid-April. Operations kicked off after the port completed the replacement or rehabilitation of nearly all the rail inside the park.

The port is owned by Tulsa Port Authority, which also manages the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. That facility is only about 15 miles away and is served by Watco’s South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL). The Port of Inola interchanges with Union Pacific, but the SKOL recently transferred a locomotive there to provide service inside the park. The crew from the SKOL’s Owasso depot switches cars as needed.

“This customer is new to rail, so there’s been a learning curve,” said Sales Director Casey Harbour. “They’ve been happy with the results so far and plan to transition more of their suppliers over to rail. Our goal is to provide service five days a week from a dedicated VESO team.”

Harbour says there’s also potential for outbound shipments of the toilet paper, facial tissue, and paper towels the current customer produces. And there is plenty of room for growth. The port has more than 1,100 acres ready for development, with truck and barge access as well.

“Getting started at the Port of Inola has been a six- or seven-year project,” Harbour said. “We’re excited that it’s finally happening and can’t wait to continue to grow with the current customer, Tulsa Port Authority, and new customers as they arrive.”