Conductor Leads with Kindness
OCTOBER 2025 — If you had to describe Conductor Mat Nickoloff in one word, it would be “kind,” according to his teammates Aspen Kittleson and Chase Manley.
They work with Nickoloff on the Yellowstone Valley Railroad (YSVR) at Watco’s Dore Transload Terminal in North Dakota. He’s been at the YSVR for nearly two years, and before that he worked for decades at a Class I railroad that interchanges with this Watco short line.
Because of that, the YSVR and Dore transload teams knew Nickoloff well and thought he would make a great addition to the crew.
Kittleson, who leads both local Watco teams, was immediately impressed with how naturally Nickoloff fit in. She said: “From Day 1, Mat has been a valuable member of our team. He’s humble, always wants to help, and carries himself with kindness.”
One way he shows his kindness is by occasionally surprising the team with doughnuts, pizza, and other treats. When the team runs out of coffee before the next scheduled delivery, he’s the first to volunteer to buy more.
Manley said, “Mat is one of the most generous people I know. He always puts others before himself.”
On paper, Nickoloff may be classified as a conductor, but he does so much more. Since he joined the YSVR, he’s become trained in transloading, specifically loading product onto pneumatic and tanker cars as well as offloading boxcars. Nickoloff also became certified to operate a forklift and loader on-site, and most recently completed CPR, first aid, and AED training.
His willingness to keep learning, even after decades of working in the industry, rubs off on his teammates.
Kittleson said, “He inspires everyone to be the best version of themselves. And if there’s anything he can do to help them reach their goals, he does it.”