Watco Transportation Services, Inc. announced the start up of its Alabama Warrior Railway (ABWR), a new railroad operating 15 miles of track in and around Birmingham, Ala. It interchanges with BNSF, CSX and Norfolk Southern.
ABWR will deliver coal to key customer Walter Coke Inc., a Birmingham-based furnace and foundry coke producer. It also serves LaFarge, US Pipe, Cemex, and transloading customers Harrison Gypsum and Performance Minerals. The short line's customers ship aggregates, pipe, scrap steel, cement and other commodities.
Mechanical services are provided at the new short line.
Formerly Jefferson Warrior Railroad, the ABWR 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 Transportation Services is a railroad company operating 21 short lines on more than 3,500 miles of track as well as 21 industrial contract switching locations.