Dispatch The newsletter for Watco September 2022 The
2 The Dispatch | September 2022 Watco’s first tour train, the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, provides scenic views for passengers. It runs daily, June through October. Safety Anniversaries 3 Watco Sponsors 39th Annual Shrine Bowl 3 Watco’s Agawa Canyon Tour Train 4-5 Watco Formalizes Military Outreach and Hiring 6 You Matter: September is National Suicide Prevention Month 7 A One-of-a-Kind Watco Terminal and Team 8-9 Conductor’s Work Ethic, ‘Extracurriculars’ Are Exemplary 10 Rail Safety Week is Just Around the Bend 11 Hoping to Kick Nicotine? Try Watco’s Tobacco Cessation Program 12 Birth Announcements 12 Caring for the Community 13 Team Member Anniversaries 14-15 Table of HighlightsContents On the Cover Do you have something to share? Send us your story ideas Email marketing@watco.com Contact Us
Starting next year, Watco will provide switching, transload, warehouse, material handling, and truck and logistics services to the Great Plains Industrial Park. Located in Parsons, Kansas, this industrial park has more than 6,800 acres of property and 26 miles of track.
Great Plains Development Authority Selects Watco as Rail Operator
September 2022 | The Dispatch 3 Safety Anniversaries August 1 – Birmingham Terminal Railway (AL) – 2 years August 8 – Cherokee Switching (AL) – 6 years August 8 – Oklahoma City Transload Terminal (OK) 3 Years August 10 – Mission Mountain Railroad (MT) – 6 years August 10 – Willis Transload Terminal (TBT) - (MI) – 12 years August 11 – Ann Arbor Railroad (MI)(OH) – 1 year August 17 – Pennsylvania Southwestern Railroad (PA) – 11 Years August 17 – Port of Pine Bluff (AR) – 3 Years August 25 – Savannah & Old Fort Railroad (GA) – 3 years August 25 – Stillwater Central Railroad (OK) – 1 year August 26 – Hawesville Marine Terminal (KY) – 3 years August 26 – Macintosh Switching (AL) – 2 years Congratulations to the following locations who celebrated August Safety Anniversaries:
Great Plains Industrial Park Director Brad Reams said, “The opportunity to partner with a Kansas-based, international transportation and logistics service provider is invaluable. The service offerings and business development capabilities within the park are now at a world class level.” For more information, read the full press release here
You never know who you’ll meet on a train, especially in northern Ontario, Canada, and that’s the beauty of it. Local folks enjoying the scenic experience, families enjoying time outside of major cities, Caribbean islanders on vacation, or refugees from a war-torn country halfway across the globe. These are all examples of the connections that were made and the stories shared by passengers on the maiden voyage of Watco’s first-ever tour train.
Vacation Watco’s Agawa Canyon Tour Train
Destination:
“I am so proud of the team we pulled together in the Soo to support Watco’s first-ever tour train. Our team members here, collectively, have decades of experience in running this tourist operation. They are professionals with great enthusiasm for the job at hand: giving our customers a safe, world class tour train experience up to the Agawa Canyon Park and back,” said Wes Logan, ACR general manager.
The clack clack clack of coaches passing over bolted rail joints and the dull hum of locomotive engines provide the background soundtrack as the Agawa Canyon Tour Train cruises along the shorelines of pristine lakes, through dense, untouched forests, and between deep cuts of ancient granite. These sights and sounds set the stage for dozens of conversations between friends and strangers.
On August 1, the Agawa Canyon Railroad (ACR) carried its first passengers from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 113 miles north to Agawa Canyon Park. The route travels past dozens of crystal-clear lakes, over roaring rivers, and snakes around more than 800 curves as passengers are treated to scenic views of untouched Canadian wilderness. It’s the beauty of nature merged with the nostalgic splendor of passenger train travel, and the round-trip takes about 10 hours.
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After arriving at the park, passengers have 90 minutes to climb the 300 steps to Lookout Point. Less strenuous trails offer views of Black Beaver Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, featuring a 225-foot drop. The Agawa River’s banks provide opportunities for a leisurely stroll and picnic tables for lunch set opposite the granite bluffs that inspired Canada’s famed Group of Seven artists. This experience draws not only locals, but people from across Canada, and the rest of the world. One young woman from Toronto said she recently left her job due to stress and was looking for a way to relax. A friend told her about the train excursion and said it would be a nice escape from the city. She booked a ticket online and took the 10-hour bus ride to Sault Ste. Marie for the train’s first trip.
The Agawa Canyon tour train offers something for most people. It’s a brief respite from busy city life. It’s a place to see wild lands unlike anywhere else. It’s one of the most multicultural experiences in the area. And it’s an old-fashioned train ride, run by expert railroaders and staff, that’s educational and scenic.
“I first came here 40 years ago. I came back again 20 years ago. Both times, I came with my family. Now, again, 20 years later at 72, I’ve brought my new family,” she said while leaning on the railing at Lookout Point. “This family has been through so much. Now that they can travel through the country, I wanted to bring them to a place that meant a lot to me and show them that there’s much more to this country than the city where we live.”
Another passenger came to Canada from Trinidad & Tobago. This 72-year-old woman recently worked for the United Nations as a refugee advocate in Jordan. In 2018, she left her post and invited a Syrian family to return with her to Canada. The family – a mother, father, two sons, and a daughter – fled the violence of the civil war in Raqqa. She took them into her home and after four years, the family finally received clearance to travel throughout the country. Upon receiving that clearance, the host immediately bought tickets for the train.
A mother of three from Chicago said she planned their family vacation around the Agawa’s first tour.
“This is so pretty and relaxing. It’s exactly what I needed,” she said while viewing the canyon below from Lookout Point as the morning’s rain rose from the trees as wispy fog.
“Locally, we are aware of how important this tour train is to the community and across various stakeholders, such as the local First Nations, the municipality, hotels and restaurants. We were welcomed with open arms and found a great deal of support as we approached tour train startup. Our hope is to foster these relationships to advance the passenger experience in years to come,” Logan said.
If you’re interested in experiencing the Agawa Canyon tour train, visit agawatrain.com and book your tickets today.
“We take the train in Chicago every day, but this is different. I wanted to show my kids a more scenic train experience,” she said. “We’d planned to come up here earlier in the summer, but when I saw the train was starting up now, we changed all our plans. It’s been amazing. We did the waterfall trails at the park, and they were beautiful.”
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Killingsworth has attended a dozen hiring events in person or virtually and plans to participate in six more before the year is out. He conducted the first military transition hiring event April 13, and since that time, the MOH Program has enabled the company to hire 39 known veterans or reservists who revealed their military affiliation in their job application. These new team members are working primarily in field operations as equipment operators, track laborers, and similar roles but also are in office-based roles. Besides helping to line up these direct-hires, Killingsworth is helping to develop internships. Later this month, an individual transitioning from the Army will join the Greens Port team as an intern for two months to learn the conductor role alongside a peer trainer. Another conductor intern, also from the Army, will start in October with the Austin Western Railroad. In a related development, Watco has recently partnered with Veterans Ascend. The organization uses artificial intelligence to match the skills of veterans and their spouses to career opportunities.
Watco Formalizes Military Outreach and Hiring
Watco has always been a friend of the military, conducting an annual T-shirt sale benefitting a military organization, donating other funds to military groups, and hiring many veterans or reservists as team members. The company now has an official Military Outreach & Hire (MOH) program, with 31-year U.S. Army veteran Ken Killingsworth heading up the effort to support service members making the transition to civilian employment. Killingsworth, a talent acquisition program manager, has been with Watco about six months. In that time, he has been visiting military installations to build relationships and connect their transition assistance personnel to Watco recruiters. He’s finding that Watco is capturing audience interest. “I think that the on-the-job training and career advancement opportunities at Watco are attractive to someone transitioning from the military,” he said. “So is the fact that we operate in so many locations.”
• Receive in-the-moment support at any time by calling (800) 624-5544
Everyone goes through difficult times. Thankfully, there are many resources to help you or a loved one cope. In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month, we’re sharing a few confidential services that can help.
WatcoYou Matter
• Schedule a consultation on a financial or legal matter
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To get started using the TMAP, call (800) 624-5544 or visit eap.ndbh.com. Apple or Android users can also download the New Directions EAP app from the App Store or Google Play. When prompted, mention or enter the company code
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
September is National Suicide Prevention Month
Watco Team Member Assistance Program (TMAP)
Offered through New Directions, TMAP offers confidential services for all Watco team members and qualified dependents to use, regardless of their health insurance provider. With the TMAP, you can: • Connect with a counselor in-person, virtually, or over the phone
If you or someone you know needs immediate crisis support, including for substance abuse, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. This new, easy-to-remember number connects you to a trained counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. For more information or to chat with a counselor online, visit 988lifeline.org
A One-of-a-Kind Watco Terminal and Team
From left to right: Driver Paul Voss, Terminal Manager Kim Gardner, Switch Operator Robert Luster, Crew Lead Vincent Deering, Operator Johnny DeLeonyPena, Customer Service Representative Marge Miles, Operator Derick Handegan, Driver Thomas Reinhardt, and Driver James Maddux.
Not pictured: Switch Operator Michael DeLeonyPena and Driver Steve Campbell
Operator Johnny DeLeonyPena recalls working around the weather to transload soda ash at a previous Watco location before joining the Wood River team. He said, “Before I joined Wood River, I worked all hours of the day and on weekends to make up for time lost from weather. Now because of the dome, we no longer must stop operations when it’s raining. Wood River is the only facility in the country that loads ash regardless of weather conditions.” The dome isn’t the only reason this terminal stands out. The Watco team members at this location are standouts, too. Gardner said, “We have a great group of people here. Between all of us, we have a wealth of knowledge and experience. I look forward to growing this team and the services we provide. Aside from their typical workday, Wood River team members also help support the community they serve. Just last month the team took part in two community initiatives. The first was donating beverages to a local Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) fundraiser. Local team members also dug into their pockets to purchase back-to-school supplies for the local school district.
How well do you know Watco? If you consider yourself a wiz, then it will be easy to answer this question: Which Watco terminal features the only remaining geodesic dome in the United States?
For those who answered Wood River Transload Terminal in Illinois, that is correct. ‘The dome,’ as local team members call it, was formerly a railcar mechanical shop. Now it’s primarily used for warehouse space and to transload soda ash from railcar to truck. “The dome is truly unique and stands out in the community,” Terminal Manager Kim Gardner said. “We’ve repurposed the space to match the needs of our customers.” From an operational perspective, handling soda ash in the dome is helpful. That’s because this particular commodity can be compromised if exposed to inclement weather like rain or snow.
“It’s an honor to help in any way we can,” DeLeonyPena said. “Our team is special in that we always want to lend a hand.”
The Wood River team delivered beverages and school supplies for their community. Share how your team gives back to the community, email marketing@watco.com.
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Indeed, Vandeventer’s work has appeared in multiple annual Watco wall calendars (in the 2022 edition, the April 2022 featured photo is his photo). And he’s won a couple of the company’s quarterly photo contests. A couple of his shots hang on the walls of Watco offices.
Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad Conductor Jackson Vandeventer
“He has invested a lot of his spare money into photo equipment and really, really enjoys taking pictures of trains,” says DREI Trainmaster Matt Nicol. “If you look through Watco calendars for the last two or three years, you’ll see some of his work in there.”
On top of his work and photography hobby, Vandeventer is pursuing academics. He is carrying eight hours a semester toward a degree in business administration at Eastern Illinois University, having already earned an associate’s degree. If that’s not enough, he volunteers a couple of days a month at the Monticello (Illinois) Railway Museum, where he teaches others how to run the museum’s excursion train.
Conductor’s Work Ethic, ‘Extracurriculars’ Are Exemplary
There are all kinds of ways workers can represent their companies. The most obvious might be using on-the-job skills Howwell.
Vandeventer’s work ethic and community involvement earned him a place helping to engage new DREI team members and as one of the railroad’s peer trainers. “More than anything, he provides us with a good example of what to present to a candidate who doesn’t know anything about the railroad,” says Nicol. “He’s a guy we want in the room on a Day 1 scenario to talk to new team members. And to be a mentor for those new guys.
about sharing photography skills?
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That’s what Watco team member Jackson Vandeventer does when off the job. He’s not only a conductor for the Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad but also takes many photos of trains.
Vandeventer’s role as a conductor takes him across east-central Illinois, reporting to any of four yards to make up trains. He’s on call six days a week and probably works an average of 50 hours a week.
“He’s an example of a young person who’s flourished and taken on responsibility above and beyond anything we ever thought he would. Jackson represents Watco and the DREI well.”
Send Us Your Photos
We want to see what your location is doing for Rail Safety Week. Take photos, and send them to marketing@watco.com.
Watco has always been an advocate of Rail Safety Week, the seven days every fall that are dedicated to educating the public about trains and safety around tracks. This year is no different. Rail Safety Week is sponsored by Operation Lifesaver, Inc., Operation Lifesaver Canada, and the Mexican Association of Railroads. It takes place September 19-25, and as an organization with 46 railroads and additional switching operations on more than 6,500 miles of track, Watco will conduct local observations and exercises at locations throughout the company’s network.
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One such event is Officer on a Train (sometimes called Trooper on a Train). Watco railroads routinely partner with the state chapters of Operation Lifesaver to have law enforcement personnel ride aboard our trains, where they can ensure motorists and pedestrians are following safety laws at railroad crossings.
In conjunction with Rail Safety Week, Watco has produced a video about safe practices at railroad crossings. After its release this week, it will be used for training Watco team members. Learn more about Operation Lifesaver and Rail Safety Week, and follow along on Watco’s social channels that week.
Rail Safety Week is Just Around the Bend
If you smoke, chew, or vape and want to stop, you can enroll in Watco’s Tobacco Cessation program: Quit For Life (QFL). Quit For Life is a free service to team members and their spouses who are covered under either of Watco’s medical plans. Resources for those enrolled in the program include phone coaching sessions to map out a plan for quitting; medications to help reduce nicotine cravings; and a website where those who are enrolled in the program can track progress and connect with others who are trying to quit.
Tobacco users who sign up by December 31, 2022, will receive the non-tobacco-user insurance premiums in 2023. Depending upon the plan you’re enrolled in, these rates can be $5 to $25 less per pay period than the tobacco user rate. To sign up for Quit For Life, call (866) 784-8454 or go to myquitforlife.com/quittoday.
Birth
AnnouncementsAubreySueAnnMaiseroulleJenna and Trevor Maiseroulle announce the birth of their daughter Aubrey SueAnn Maiseroulle, born August 5, 2022. Aubrey weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and was 19 ¾ inches long. She was welcomed home by her big brother Jaxon. Jenna is a customer service representative at the Pittsburg, Kansas, office.
When it comes to using tobacco products, are you wanting to call it quits?
To submit your new arrival send a photo and information to marketing@watco.com
12 The Dispatch | September 2022 Hoping to Kick Nicotine? Try Watco’s Tobacco Cessation Program Please share your birth announcements
Volunteers from the Watco team at the Overland Park, Kansas, office took a recent Friday to lend a hand at NourishKC, an organization that addresses hunger in the Kansas City community. Watco team members and a few of their children as well as two summer interns sliced, diced, and did anything else needed to prepare more than 300 meals for adults, teens, and children who visited that day. The 15 Watco representatives also handled food prep for future meals, wrapped silverware, and washed dishes.
Caring for the Community
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2 Years: Christopher Austin, Brayden Boyd, Tosha Carlton, Hector Cibrian, Alicea Dawes, Andrew Dowler, Eduardo Garcia, Philip Grubisic, Juan Hernandez Pliego, J Cruz Hurtado, Damien Johnson, Don Johnson, Jacob Kerr, Kerrie Larkin, Daniel Lopez Vela, Brandi Martin, Larry Matthews, Cary Mcfatter, Billy Mitchell, Thomas O’Rourke, David Palmerin, Stephen Perrette, Amanda Prado, Esiquio Resendiz, Klayton Riggers, Aaron Roan, Juan Rodriguez, Ryan Tidaback, Jonathan Vasquez, Trent Windfont, Katelyn Wolfe, Amber Younger 3 Years: Jorge Ballesteros, Jeremy Baxter, Oscar Bolivar, Samuel Brandt, Randolph Burington, Joseph Clement, Sean Daley, Myron Dortch, Daniel Gunnoe, Scott Irvin, Johnathan Jarvis, Carlton Lawrence, Wesley Lollar, Michael Mazzone, Robert McLaughlin, Craig Nettles, Justin Ogle, Susan Rao, David Richards, Dontrele Smith, Sachel Taylor, Thaddeus Thomas, Ray Wright
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Congratulations to the following team members celebrating September anniversaries:
4 Years: Donovan Allen, Bruno Arias, Kody Blair, Travis Blair, Kenneth Burns, Phillip Burrous, Craig Daley, Christopher Dalton, Timothy Demery, Derrick DeWitt, Gaven Dufrene, Malik Edwards, Richard Flowers, Clark Fritton, Jose Gonzalez, Lensi Gutierrez, Sarah Hall, Jarell Harris, Brandon Heckler, Corey Hornig, Travis Hutchinson, Jennifer Kienic, Ryan Laverdure, Kenneth Lockard, Michael May, Martin Mayes, John McCrossen, Nicholas Mora, John Moschella, April Potter, Orlando Reveron, Rafael Rosas, Mary Saenz, Richard Serrano, Chad Settles, Benjamin Smith, Henry Smith, Brian Sparks, Darrell Tolbert, Eric Vail, Quincy Wells, Turkson West, Brandy White, Adam Williams, Brian Womble, Bryan Woolard
5 Years: Matthew Allen, Andrew Auriemma, Ramon Betancourt, Josh Broshears, Hayley Clark, Marquita Connor, Michael Del Vecchio, Christopher Escamilla, Cameron Ginther, Chastity Gonzales, Mitchell Guenther, Milton Hernandez, Jimmy Jolivet, Carissa Michener, Tyler Post, Austin Pursley, Richard Richards, Leah Rinier, Daryle Rogers, Derek Sanchez, Robert Wagner, Chase Williams, Justin Wittenauer
Team Member Anniversaries
1 Year: Alexis Alvarez, Calvin Aspinwall, Karla Avila, Jason Azzarello, Sylvester Benson, Patrick Billat, Jose Bocanegra, Dennis Breslin, Jaymie Brewer, Michael Christopherson, Gregory Cina, Marcus Clark, Kaleb Cormier, Adilene Cortes, TJ Crissman, Elyssa Crow, George Davis, Zachary Davis, Michael De Leony Pena, Roger Dorrell, John Duling, Gunner Durrett, Andres Estrada, Justin Fortney, Scott Fricke, Quinton Gordon, Hailey Gray, Anthony Green, Leslie Griggs, Karson Hanni, Joel Hardon, Lonnie Hatchett, Kristopher Hawley, Landen Hay, David Hein, Shamber Hubbard, Zane Huntley, Joseph Hyne, Derrick Jenkins, Derrick Johns, Patrick Johnson, Tasha Johnson, Landon Jordan, Nathan Jorgensen, Anthony King, Wyatt Krumvieda, Theodore Kunach, Ryan Larson, Cody Liles, Colton Little, Juan Lopez, Alcides Magana, Brandy Malone, Emanuel Martinez, Gabriel Martinez, Michael McDougall, Carlos Mcfarlane, Dalton Mcfatter, James McGuire, Rodolfo Mendoza, Benjamin Miller, Chase Mitchell, Joseph Munoz, Justin Murray, Samantha Perkins, Christine Phebus, Reagan Pitts, Gabriel Quirino, Eric Rangel, James Ray, Shavarius Richard, Robert Richey, Xavier Romo, Mindy Scholes, Randy Scott, Sean Simmons, Mason Snider, Rab Stewart, Joshua Stinnett, James Sullivan, Kameron Sutherland, William Tomasi, Jesus Tovar, Jesus Trevino, Mitchell Wastak, Tyler Whiteside, Deborah Whittington
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Team Member Anniversaries
10 Years: Christopher Burns, Laramie Gahman, Christopher Hughes, Don Latimer, James Mobley, Daniel Rodriguez, Floyd Schrock, Clint Woods 11 Years: Mark Cendejas, Justin DeWitt, Ernie Farrand, Justin Hoggle, Linda Jordan, Adam Weddle 12 Years: Laurie Caler, Damien Cantrell, Stacey Gorman, Cedric Graham, David Mathews, David Miller, Andrew Moots, JaCorey Murray, Bradley Shows, Benjamin Tarran, Peter Tietjen 13 Years: Lewis Barlow, Michael Reeves, Chadd Thimesch, Cody Winkleman 14 Years: Michael Hankins, Kevin Kennison, Dennis McCord, Michael Stitzel, Lori Vaden 15 Years: Dale Cross, Sergio Delgado, Donald Moss 16 Years: James Hagans, Nancy Huser, Bill Miller, Wesley Murray 17 Years: Aubrey Berguin, Christopher Boatman, Jonas Colley, Matthew Davis, Annetra Garcia, Matthew Hare, Mark Harrington, Kari Stephens, Reynaldo Vargas, Thomas Williams, Steve Yates, Carol Young 18 Years: Brandon Craddock, Stacy Grant, Joseph Nazimek, Julio Parada 20 Years: Arnulfo Rangel, Eric Wayne, Michael Wilson 21 Years: Chuck King, William Patterson 23 Years: Kara Bowman 24 Years: Eric Davison 25 Years: Richard Gruber 27 Years: Bradley Hayes, Michael Moore 28 Years: James Smith 31 Years: David Tarwater 41 Years: Randy Alcorn 42 Years: Fred Porter 44 Years: Rickey Moore
6 Years: Delmer Armentrout, Matthew Garrett, Travis Grose, Kourtney Hatch, Casey Mills, Ryan Ross, Brandon Salee, Nick Schwartz, Aaron Snow 7 Years: Matthew Haviland, Zachary Kachmar, Drury Kane, Chad Klopfenstine, Jeremy Lemarr, J. Homero Medina, Daniel Mendoza, John Moriconi, Justin Morrison, Danny Queen, Jonathan Roquet, Robert Ross, Travis Schnelle, Michael Schoenherr, Austin Slinkard, Juan Vasquez, Marcus Zambrano, Kelly Zulfer 8 Years: Andy Cordischi, Ta’Darius Dawson, Travis Gage, William Haynes, Matthew Hembree, Curt Johnson, Jeffrey Kebert, Elliot King, Kayla Lepine, Luke Lohrmeyer, Darryl Lovett, Victor Nava, Brandon Parham, Timothy Rupik, Christopher Salary, Hugo Sanchez, Nicholas Sanders, Ashton Speckman, Adam Underwood, Michael Williams 9 Years: Jacob Cahill, David Callan, Jesus Carmona, Jennifer Crossno, Michael DeHoyos, Jace Fisher, Joy Lavoie, Arden Martinie, Christopher Porter, Michael Urness
