(The following report appeared on the Examiner-Enterprise website on July 10.)
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad traffic embargo remained in effect last week on nearly 255 miles of track.
Due to rising water, railroad officials announced that Bartlesville was included in the embargo and could not accept or originate rail traffic, according to company officials. The embargo is a result of flood waters from the recent heavy rains in the area. The SKOL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Watco Companies, Inc.
In Oklahoma, the embargo includes all stations north of and including Bartlesville. The BNSF and the UP interchanges in Tulsa are open; however traffic from this interchange is restricted to points south of Bartlesville.
Receding waters in Kansas allowed crews to inspect a small portion of the SKOL last week, and crews and contractors are now in the early stages of beginning repairs where water has receded. However, 17 miles of track still were underwater at one time near the towns of Coffeyville, Fredonia, Neodesha, Chanute, Independence and Oswego, Kan., and Bartlesville and Dewey.
In addition to submerged track, 300 railcars, on both railroad and customer properties, were at least partially submerged after last week’s flooding. Severe bridge damage was also been confirmed at the Neosho River in Oswego, Kan., and also at the Verdigris River in Fredonia, Kan. Both of these bridges were also underwater. Many smaller bridges were also damaged and washouts up to a mile long had been identified.
“Overall assessment of the railroad has been slower than we had planned due to some areas of track still covered in water; however we continue to move forward as quickly as possible to restore service,” said Pat Cedeno, Chief Operating Officer for Watco’s Central Region. “The level of damage is impacted by how fast the water is or was moving over the railroad and in some areas we still have swift-running-water.”