Mid-west Farm Report - Madison

Railroads have long been a staple for Wisconsin agriculture and 2026 is no exception. Brad Peot is the commercial sales manager with WATCO railroad.   Watco is a full-service supply chain solutions company. They provide rail, transloading, terminal and port, and logistics services. The company is privately owned and headquartered in Pittsburg, Kansas.  Ben Jarboe learns that right now railroads face unique challenges  during winter when rivers freeze and barge traffic stops.  Extremely cold temperatures slow rail operations because trains rely on air brake systems that work less efficiently in dry, cold conditions. In very cold weather, trains may need to run with fewer railcars to meet air pressure requirements for braking systems. Let's not forget about the crews!  They're working in the outdoors to connect and disconnect railcars, creating safety risks like frostbite during extreme cold.  Peot says that WATCO is responsible for most of the grain movement in Wisconsin