Re: Watco/PCC new business prevention program in effect.
Author: Denny Madison
Date: 03-18-2007 - 18:29
Spent weekend wandering over the Palouse country looking over Watco lines. Winona to Colfax has quite a bit of "vandalism" mentioned above, as does Colfax to Pullman, and the BNSF side in Pullman. Some is kinda hidden as bolts removed from joint bars but rails not lifted or angle bars knocked off yet. Same on a couple of places on CW line. Slip out in Palouse is growing and hasn't been delt with in any way, has gobbled up one track at a switch meaning the active elevator there can only be switched from one end and limiting number of cars that can be loaded at a time, spring run off has water eating away more. Good luck to new operators, as I talked to some workers at a chemical plant in Oakesdale---seems unreliable service prompted their company to buy some semi trucks and truck from river (Central Ferry on Great Northwest RR--Watco's name for the Camas Prairie.) and from the BNSF at Tokio. Hope the new operators can win back some business as there used to be great potential for these lines.