MASON CITY – Union Pacific railroad workers are making use of a parking lot at the KMart shopping center at this time.
A dozen portable restrooms can be seen on the east end of the large parking lot at KMart, leading some NIT readers to ask what they were there for. There are also vehicles with license plates from around the country, including Nevada and California.
KMart employees told NIT last week that the Union Pacific had rented a portion of the parking lot for its use but weren’t sure why the portable restrooms and buses near the building were there.
Contrary to what some had believed, no Union Pacific employees are staying or sleeping at the location. The buses at the KMart store parked on the east end of the building are used for transporting employees.
According to a source from the Union Pacific, every morning, about 100 maintenance of way employees meet at the KMart parking lot for their morning meeting. These men are here from all over the United States to do track work here in Mason City and south of Mason City. They are replacing railroad ties on the track that connects Mason City to Boone.
“The reason you see the portapotties and stuff there is because there are so many of them meeting there, it was a necessity in case while they are meeting and drinking their morning coffee, they will more than likely have to use the restroom,” the Union Pacific source indicated. “The men are sleeping in hotels across North Iowa. But the Kmart parking lot is their meeting place to have a job briefing and find out the plan of the day while they are here.”
The workers can be seen at various locations around town making repairs at railroad crossings or other railroad properties.
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