The Kansas City Southern Railway (AAR reporting marks KCS) is a
United States-based Class I railroad operating
over 3,130 track miles in 12 central and southeastern states. Founded in 1887, the railroad
provides the shortest route from Kansas City to the Gulf of
Mexico. Its COO is Arthur L. Shoener.
The Kansas City Southern is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and has
approximately 430 locomotives, 15,000 freight cars, and 2,700 employees. Annual revenues as
of 2002 were US$559.6 million.
History
Arthur Edward Stilwell began construction on the first line of what would become the
Kansas City Southern Railway in 1887, in suburban Kansas
City, Missouri. Over the ensuing decade, the line grew through construction and acquisitions to become a through route
between Kansas City and Port Arthur, Texas, with the final spike being driven north
of Beaumont, Texas, on September 11,
1897. Another mainline between Dallas and New Orleans, via Shreveport, Louisiana, was added
through merger with the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway during the
1930s. From 1940 to 1969, Kansas City
Southern operated the Southern Belle passenger train between Kansas City and New Orleans.
The core KCS system remained essentially the same until the 1990s, when the purchase of the
MidSouth Rail Corporation extended KCS's reach eastward from Shreveport and into Mississippi and Alabama. This acquisition, combined with existing KCS
routes, created a key east-west mainline marketed as the Meridian Speedway (named for the town of
Meridian, Mississippi). An additional acquisition, the Gateway Western Railway, extended KCS's reach from Kansas City to St. Louis, Missouri, and to Springfield,
Illinois.
The 1990s also saw KCS extend its reach into Mexico, with the
acquisition of partial interests in the Texas Mexican Railway and Grupo Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana. In 2005, KCS was successful in acquiring a
controlling interest in both roads.
A parent company of the Kansas City Southern Railway was organized in 1962 as Kansas City
Southern Industries, Inc. In 2002, the name of the parent company was shortened to Kansas City
Southern.
Subsidiary railroads
The Kansas City Southern owns a 50% stake in the Panama Canal Railway Company (PCRC).
In April 2005, KCS completed its purchase of a controlling interest in the Mexican railroad Grupo Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) from Grupo
TMM. That December, Kansas City Southern Industries renamed TFM as Kansas City Southern de México
(KCSM).
Although KCS itself is planned to be a holding company for the Kansas City Southern Railway, TexMex and TFM, the whole four-railway system is marketed to shippers as the NAFTA Railway, emphasizing the KCS's abilities in cross-border transportation. However, the railroads are
all operated as subsidiary companies. KCS's long-term plans include support of the Kansas
City SmartPort, in which customs officials from Mexico would inspect cargo at the railroad's loading facility at the
former Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base and speed them across the border to
Mexican ports for transport to Asia.
Awards and recognition
KCS has been the recipient of the E. H. Harriman Award for safety in Group B
(line-haul railroads with between four and 15 million employee hours per year). KCS received the Silver award for 1999, the Gold
award for 2000, and the silver award again for 2005.[1]
Company officers
Presidents of Kansas City Southern:
See also
External links
References
- ^ Association of American Railroads (reprinted by Norfolk Southern Railroad)
(2006-05-16). Railroads Set Another Employee Safety Record in 2005. Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
|
Current (operating) Class I railroads of North America |
United States: AMTK,
BNSF, CSXT, GTW, KCS, NS, SOO, UP - Canada: CN, CP, VIA - Mexico: FXE, TFM, KCSM, FSRR
See also: List of USA/Canada/Mexico Class I Railroads, List of USA/Canadian Class II Railroads, Class III
railroad, Class 2 Railroads in Canada,
Short-line railroad, List of
United States railroads, List of Canadian railroads, List of Mexican railroads |
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