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Montana Rail Link Inc. (MRL) President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Watts recently announced plans to retire at year end, according to American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association's bi-weekly newsletter released Feb. 4.


In 1996, Watts joined the 957-mile regional as vice president of operations after serving in various capacities at Northern Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Railroad for decades. He was named president in 1998.


To succeed Watts in 2004, MRL's board tabbed Executive Vice President Thomas Walsh, who joined the regional in 1987, serving in the accounting department.


In 1990, Walsh was named chief financial officer, but left MRL in 1998 to serve as senior vice president of the regional's owner, Washington Group of Cos. In 2002, he returned to MRL to serve as EVP.