Was the KCS ever an option?

Discussion in 'General' started by Iantha_Branch, Aug 9, 2021.

  1. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    A thought that has been stuck in the back of my mind for a while now is how did the KCS survive the mega-merger era until 2021? To my eye, their trackage map isn't that impressive by its self, even after the acquisition of the L&A in the 40's. There's a source somewhere I can remember reading or hearing that by 1980, the KCS was in deep trouble only to be bailed out by new western coal traffic coming in to save the day.

    So what I have wondered is, did the Frisco ever take a serious look at a merger/buyout of the KCS in the 60's or 70's? To me it would have made sense. The biggest issue would be the parallel line running south out of Kansas City, but other than that it looks like a great idea on paper. The two could have worked together to consolidate operations in the mining districts around Pittsburg and Joplin. Beyond that, it would have finally given the Frisco access to New Orleans like it had tried to gain in the past.

    Beyond the Frisco, it would have made sense for the BN to go after the KCS as well considering they hauled in a lot of western coal to plants located on the KCS, and for the same reason of increased access to the Gulf Coast.
     
  2. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    Ethan,

    Kansas City Southern was in a lot of trouble during the late 1960s-early 1970s. It fell apart as a result of years of neglect by William N. Deramus III, who also ran the Missouri-Kansas-Texas into the ground with his penny-pinching. According to Fred W. Frailey, KCS slashed its maintenance-of-way workforce by 61 percent(!) between 1957 and 1962 and KCS all but ceased to lay new rail and replace ties. KCS hit rock bottom in 1972 but began an extensive rehabilitation of its right-of-way shortly thereafter. While the coal boom played a role in KCS' resurgence, KCS was unique in that it originated or terminated almost 95 percent of all its traffic. I'm not sure if Frisco ever looked at KCS, but I know Burlington Northern, Santa Fe and Illinois Central all considered merging with KCS during the 1990s, though obviously nothing came of these talks.

    Gabriel G.
     
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