Watco’s Alabama Warrior Railway begins operations The Morning Sun Posted Aug 16, 2009 @ 12:21 AM PITTSBURG — Watco Transportation Services, Inc., announced the start-up of a new railroad, the Alabama Warrior Railway (ABWR), on Friday, Aug. 7. The ABWR operates 15 miles of track in and around Birmingham, Ala., and interchanges with the BNSF, the Norfolk Southern and the CSX. The ABWR’s chief mission is to deliver coal to Walter Coke Inc., a furnace and foundry coke producer based in Birmingham. Along with serving Walter Coke’s operations, other rail customers served by the ABWR include: LaFarge, US Pipe, Cemex and two transloading customers, Harrison Gypsum and Performance Minerals. Commodities shipped by these customers include aggregates, pipe, scrap steel, cement and various other commodities. In addition to rail service, mechanical services will also be provided at the location. Cars are inspected and repaired as needed before delivery to Walter Coke, Inc. and the yard has a bulk handling facility where it receives railroad cars with aggregates that are unloaded for delivery to area industries. “We’re extremely excited about the opportunities in Birmingham,” said Rick Webb, Watco CEO. “Thanks go out to Jim Walter of Walter Coke Inc. and the Watco Team for all the work that went into making the Alabama Warrior possible. It’s a real testament that in this down economy the team continues to grow the business and find ways to provide added service to our customers.” The ABWR (formerly Jefferson Warrior Railroad) began as the Mary Lee Railroad prior to 1900 and was taken over by Sloss Industries (now Walter Coke) in 1969. In 1985, the name was changed to Jefferson Warrior. Watco Companies, Inc. (WCI) is a Pittsburg-based transportation company serving transportation, mechanical, and transload/ intermodal needs of customers throughout the nation. WCI is the owner of Watco Transportation Services, Inc. (WTS), the largest privately-held short line railroad company in the U.S. operating 21 short line railroads on more than 3,500 miles of track as well as 21 industrial contract switching locations. Watco’s Mechanical Services division operates 14 railcar repair shops, 4 locomotive shops and 19 mobile mechanical shops. The Transload/Intermodal Services division currently manages 12 transload facilities, seven warehouses and one intermodal location. WCI also operates Greens Port Industrial Park located in the Houston, Texas, ship channel offering services such as warehousing, lay down storage, leasing of industrial property, access to deep water dock and barge, contract stevedoring, rail and truck transportation. More information about Watco and its subsidiaries can be found at Watco Companies.
