Watco’s Safe Performance Center in Fairfield, Alabama, a training space for Watco railroads and transportation workers, has undergone a $3 million expansion designed to meet the company’s training needs for the next decade. A new 11,0000-square-foot building, which includes classrooms, a conference room and a large space designated for a locomotive simulation lab, more than doubles the Center’s previous space.

The project was driven by growth at Watco, a leading transportation and supply chain services company, which created a need for more safety training space than the original building – built in 2017 – could accommodate. The capacity expansion boosts the number of team members who can receive on-site instruction from 40 per day to about 150 per day. It also is expected to deliver more than $1.3 million in annual economic development benefits to the Birmingham area.

The expanded Safe Performance Center will provide training for all Watco operations. It is expected to meet the company’s training needs for years to come, ensuring team members receive consistent, high quality training that adheres to Watco’s standards.

As part of the expansion, a confined-space simulator – a tanker car modified for training – was added to a piece of railroad track outside the new building. Its addition allows hands-on confined-space rescue training for Watco team members. First responders also will be able to use the simulator for live exercises in a safe environment.

-via Press Release