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Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals

3/6/2012



Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals

Watco changes intermodal division's name, installs short line GMs


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Watco Cos. L.L.C. has changed the name of the Watco Transportation and Intermodal Services (WTIS) division to Watco Terminal and Port Services (WTPS). The division operates numerous transload terminals and two ports: Greens Port in Houston and Port Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala.

The new name more accurately reflects the services offered through the division, said Rick Baden, Watco’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, in a prepared statement.

“In addition to our traditional transload terminals, the energy sector has provided growth opportunity with several new terminal locations opening in the last year. As this trend continues, we want to brand our ability to operate as a terminal and distribution hub for all commodities to potential customers,” he said. “[Also] the ability to connect to major waterways and ship internationally is a tremendous asset to our customers and needs to be accurately portrayed.

Watco named Dan Smith senior vice president of WTPS to lead the division. He previously served Watco as SVP of WTIS development, SVP of the Greens Port Industrial Park, and VP of real estate and industrial development.

Meanwhile, Watco also named Brian O’Neal general manager of the Yellowstone Valley Railroad and Dave Ruggles, general manager of the Swan Ranch Railroad.

O’Neal previously served Norfolk Southern Corp. in various roles since 1999, including district trainmaster, assistant terminal superintendent and terminal superintendent. Most recently a trainmaster for the Yellowstone Valley Railroad, Ruggles previously served Watco’s Eastern Idaho Railroad as an assistant trainmaster, TS&IC leader, conductor and engineer.