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  About Wisconsin & Southern Company History The Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co. (WSOR) is a privately owned and managed regional railroad company operating in the southern half of the State of Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois. Wisconsin & Southern operates 700 miles of branch and mainline track traversing a total of 21 counties in Wisconsin and Illinois. Wisconsin & Southern Railroad is Wisconsin’s third largest railroad. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin & Southern connects within the state with all the western Class One railroad’s: Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and Union Pacific. With direct access to Chicago, WSOR connects with the eastern Class One Railroads: CSX and Norfolk Southern. In addition to the Belt Railway in Chicago, WSOR also has access to harbor facilities in Prairie du Chien. WSOR has branch offices in Janesville, Madison and Horicon. WSOR operates on former Milwaukee Road and Chicago & North Western tracks that were earmarked for abandonment in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These tracks are now owned and managed cooperatively by the State of Wisconsin and 17 counties. WSOR has a 50-year operating agreement with the State and the counties to provide freight rail service on the 700-mile publicly-owned railroad system. Since its inception in 1980, WSOR has quadrupled the freight business served on the lines by their previous owners, handling over 50,000 carloads in 2005. WSOR expects to handle close to 73,000 carloads by the year 2010. Over 200 people are employed by WSOR. WSOR Mission Statement To promote that the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co. be recognized as the best transportation company in the State of Wisconsin. WSOR’s reputation depends on quality and to achieve this objective, WSOR will continually strive to meet the transportation needs of our customers and to gain their confidence and commitment. Company Vision Our Values At Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co. We believe that living by a set of core values help define the true measure of a company. They guide the way we treat each other and how we make business decisions, no matter what the business climate is. Companies where all employees are aligned to fundamental guiding principles consistently deliver the superior financial results that ensure long-term success. At Wisconsin & Southern Railroad, we’ve developed a core ideology that is the foundation for everything we do. This creates an environment that allows us to maintain a focus on what's important while challenging everything else in a drive for continuous improvement. There is nothing magical about these concepts. It is the discipline of execution that distinguishes great companies. This is about building an organization that has purpose, focus, and alignment that lives its values every day and that creates an environment that allows employees to grow and to produce superior results. Our Vision: To be the safest, most progressive regional Wisconsin railroad, relentless in the pursuit of customer and employee excellence. Our Purpose: To capitalize on the efficiency of rail transportation to serve Wisconsin and surrounding areas. Our Values: It starts with the customer. Reliable service is our key to growth. Grow by understanding and meeting needs. Become easier to do business with. Own their problems--win their business. People make the difference. Customer Focus The WSOR is committed to customer satisfaction. The WSOR works closely with existing industries--big or small--in meeting their transportation needs. And, the WSOR works diligently to attract new industries that wish to take advantage of the cost savings that freight rail provides. Upon request, our Marketing Department will furnish an inventory of available sites for industry prospects. Working together with governmental agencies in identifying potential funding sources for industry expansion or construction is part of our commitment to customers. The WSOR provides 175 existing customers with service plans to meet their everyday transportation needs. This includes a cost competitive freight rate structure to assist companies in saving valuable transportation dollars. The WSOR transports a variety of commodities for its customer base including lumber, coal, liquid and dry fertilizers, corn, beans, plastic, aggregates, ethanol, liquid petroleum, and more. In order to provide for safe and efficient transportation of our products, the WSOR spends millions of dollars each year to rehabilitate existing infrastructure as well as add capacity in order to keep pace with customer and industry demand. Awards WSOR was named Regional Railroad of the Year by “Railway Age” magazine in 2001, and was honored nationally with the 2002 Marketing Award from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. WSOR Quick Facts
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