Hello all. I am trying to put together a family tree of sorts for all the major railroads in the US and Canada. I would like to know what rail roads merged to form other rail roads, or what roads were bought out by other roads. For example, I know BNSF was formed by a merger between Berlington Northern and Santa Fe. What can you tell me about the history of KCS?? I will be researching this on the internet, but any info you can add would be greatly appreciated. I will be asking a similar question of each of the major Roads in the other Rail Road forums, so please feel free to lay out as much info as you like. Thanks All!
Kansas City Southern The KCS has the distinction of being a North South railroad while the other class I are east west. It has extensive operations in Mexico. I grew up in KC less than a mile from the KCS mainline. That is where I began rail fan career. As far as I know the KCS has been the KCS from the very start. I am sure they bought other companies along the way. The KCS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kansas City Southern Corp (I think that is its name). The parent corp does other business than the railroad. I Googled this link: http://www.kcshs.org/schedule/subs/images/history/kcs_hist.htm :teeth:
Boxcab, I think KCSI is the ticker symbol on the NYSE. Kansas City Southern Industries. Dave, this info is somewhat vague as I don't have any dates but KCS acquired the L&A (Louisiana & Arkansas) which brought the road to Dallas and also acquired the Mid-South which expanded the line east through Mississippi and Alabama where it interchanges with NS in Birmingham. As noted above, they acquired a majority of stock in TFM that gave them the Mexican connection for NAFTA. I'm sure there is someone else on this board that can fill in the many blanks in this narration but I hope this helps.
MOPMAN- Their web site address is still www.kcsi.com But on the site, they no longer seem to use the word "Industries." KCSI used to be the parent name for the RR. But now it appears to simply be Kansas City Southern as the parent. Boxcab E50
KCS is a big part of NAFTA right? My hometown is Marble City I visite there often and i see the NAFTA logo on the sides on the lovomotives
do u know anything about that big boy 4018 in dallas that was to be rebuilt and under it own steam to run in a movie in north texas and colorado this has ben some time ago thanks
Originally the Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf, until 1900. Then became KCS. Believe you may be thinking of a KCS subsidiary company, which was named the Louisiana & Arkansas RY. Boxcab E50
If I recall correctly, that all fell through. You might do better, asking in our UP Forum. See if somebody there has the info. Boxcab E50
The Big Boy #4018 is still at the Age of Steam Museum in Dallas. I saw it there a couple of weeks ago. Not only was it not rebuilt to run (there are no operating Big Boys), even regular maintenance appears to be lacking and the loco is suffering some serious corrosion. It was still impressive to see it. Unfortunately, the museum has only a few tracks, and all it's locos and cars are pretty crowded in. You can't get back and get a decent photo of the Big Boy. Regards Ed
Why is there so little attention for KCS? You hardly read anything about it! Why is that? But it is good to read that my country rescued the KCS (-predecessor)!
merger ?? I hear rumors that BNSF and CN are going to merge but what does that have to do with KCS. :angry:
For information on corporate geneaology of Kansas City Southern, or any other railroad, as far as its trackage is located in Texas, THE source is a book, Texas Railroads : A Record of Construction and Abandonment by Charles P. Zlatkovich.; published by Bureau of Business Research, University of Texas at Austin and Texas State Historical Society, Austin, TX, 1981. It lists the ownership and changes of every fraction of a mile of railroad in Texas since the Beginning. Look up KCS and it will tell precessor roads, mergers, look them up and go back and back. Every time a piece of rail was built, abandoned or changed ownership. However, only goes up to 1981. Don't know if there is anything like this on-line. You might be able to get a local or university library to get you a copy on interlibrary loan...
