Watco to lease KCS line in Mississippi

[friscobob]

The following is a joint statement released by Watco and KCS. To read it, you'll need Adobe Acrobat (it's a .pdf file):

Watco/KCS joint statement (http://www.watcocompanies.com/news/press_releases/2005/Joint%20Release%20with%20WATCO%20on%20Bay%20Spring s%203-30-05.pdf)

[Hytec]

Thanks for the info. It's always nice to hear of rail lines being reactivated and improved.

[chessie]

I am not familiar with that area.... I assume it is good news? :confused:

Harold

[BoxcabE50]

Originally posted by Hytec:
Thanks for the info. It's always nice to hear of rail lines being reactivated and improved. Guess I had not followed this closely enough! Did not know it was an out of service line.

This is good news for me. I always want to see the rails kept in place. To generate jobs and revenues. Instead of a trail that eats revenues...

:D

Boxcab E50

[beast5420]

here here!

[chessie]

O.K., so that is good news :D

Of course, any rails that can be kept in service and USED is good news!

Harold

[foamer]

From the rumors here in K.C it,s about to happen agian. Keep your eye on the former Gateway Western Line from K.C to St. Louis

[BoxcabE50]

Originally posted by foamer:
From the rumors here in K.C it,s about to happen agian. Keep your eye on the former Gateway Western Line from K.C to St. Louis Another one for Watco? Is this former GM&O trackage? Has it been out of service?

:D

Boxcab E50

[foamer]

No it,s not out of service the KCS currently runs it's east and west pigs trains for the csx. It used to run BNSF trains atleast 3 times per
week but the contract ran out in december. KCS was not intrested in renewing is what the story was. The line also had a Mill street ( former Gateway Way Western train) but when
Watco took over the Mill Street yard that train
went by the wayside as well, now only 1 train
remains. The hirail trucks have been busy since early march, as told by the dispatcher the occupants have been Watco officals.

[BoxcabE50]

What sort of potential on-line customer base is available? Hopefully, enough to make this venture profitable?

:D

Boxcab E50

[friscobob]

Two things:

One, Welcome to Trainboard, foamer!

Two, please keep us updated on this if you would.

My question: if KCS is so gosh-darned intent on becomeing a true NAFTA railroad (as evidenced by the finalization of the deals to purchase TFM), why would they give up on this stretch of track, unless they have an alternate route to the Chicago area????? Were they to give this up to Watco, the only alternate would be to route things up the IC&E. And I know that ever since the Rock ISland shutdown in 1980, KCS has been eying a route north of KC- please recall the bidding war between KCS and C&NW for the former Rock's Spine Line to the Twin Cities (which C&NW eventually got, thus sealing the fate of the former CGW mainout of KC to Des Moines, Oelwein and Minneapolis via a roundabout route. KC-TC is straighter on the Spine Line).

[foamer]

Sorry about getting back to you boxcab, yes it was former GM&O trackage, I also belive the IC, C&A, and Alton all owned it at one time or another. I have bricks from the slater depot with "ALTON" cast into them. I belive this line has one of the oldest steel span bridges in america at glasgow missouri, first constructed in 1879 and then rebuilt in 1900. The span still has "C&A" stamped in the steel supports along with "1900". It's pretty neat to think after all these years it's still holding strong. I belive there are only 7 remaining depots on the line from K.C to Roodhouse where the line splits (one to Springfield ILL. and then to Chicago and the other to St. Louis). Another history pic told is that in present day Independence at the Selsa Rd and 39th Street
area there used to a depot that was called the Glendale station and it had to have its name changed to Selsa Station because of Jessy James robbing it so much no one would stop at the station. I don't know if that has ever been proven but it sure is intresting to think that the same line has been there so long.

[foamer]

As if the news could get any worse!, just heard that there will only be 1 train every other day and the mexico local will be no more after friday. Looks like the end is near, I think I'll have to find another place to see and photograph the KCS.

Calgon take me away!

[BoxcabE50]

Does this mean that Watco will indeed be coming in? And their operations will be this sparse? Sure doesn't sound profitable!

graemlins/headscratch.gif

Boxcab E50

[foamer]

Haven't heard anything new since friday, but I
did happen to see MOW installing new rail and
ties in two industry tracks. I think the KCS has
not served these industries in years!!!!. Sure
seems strange that they're spending money on
a line there going to get rid of.

[BoxcabE50]

Does sound strange. Out here, BN was well known for doing this deliberately, on lines they wanted to abandon. This would skew the books, so there was an awful looking, phoney loss. Apply. Abandon. Quickly salvage the new ties for use elsewhere..... graemlins/bleh.gif

graemlins/headscratch.gif

Boxcab E50

[foamer]

I just heard that Watco (Kaw River Railroad) will now switch the BNSF Kearney branch. It also servs Liberty mostly plastic and paper. I belive the line is about 30 miles in length.

Foamer

[MechaMoose]

NAFTA railroad???

[foamer]

Sorry I have been gone so long. I had to spend two weeks in Shreveport, anyway I have it on good authority that the Watco deal is now off as far as the former Gateway is concerned. I wonder what the KCS will do now
with this old line. The trains have now been cut
down to 6 days and is headed for 1 every other day.

[BoxcabE50]

Wonder what happened? Anyhow, it would seem to me that the more they downgrade this line, and service, the less attractive it might become for sale, or lease.

graemlins/headscratch.gif

Boxcab E50

[foamer]

I just read that there now will only be one
train every other day on this line. What a shame!!!, it was such a nice place to watch trains. Anyway at least the Watco part is over, for now!!. I'll keep my eye out for the new SD70ace as this locomotive makes its debut in
the KCS roster. I viewed one of the GE test units in slater today on a east bound grain load.

[BoxcabE50]

Service reductions on any line, never bode well for their future. I fear that if they can't unload it, this could be destined for the scrapper. And become a hiking trail.

:(

Boxcab E50

[ June 01, 2005, 07:11 PM: Message edited by: BoxcabE50 ]

[foamer]

That's what we're afraid of!!, of course depending on who you talk to there is new rail and ties on the way later this year. The trains out of ESTL and K.C are HUGE atleast for this line some almost 10 thousand feet!!!!. I can't belive these old GP's are holding out, they're putting 5 or more on each train. The blocks will
be reduce to one at weeks end. Heck, the whole line looks like a tunnel from all the trees. I hope some other railroad picks up this line it would be a shame to see it go, it's one of the oldest in the USA.

[BoxcabE50]

Got any photos you could share with us? I'd like to see some views of those long trains, burrowing through the foliage.

:D

Boxcab E50

[foamer]

I'll see if I can get my camera and computer to talk to each other I'm not what you would call
real computer compliant when it comes to pics, but I know some people who are. I am going out Monday to see if I can catch the east bounder I belive it should be a big one. The last one that ran east was Friday.

[BoxcabE50]

graemlins/cool.gif Will hope you can get a few views to post!

:D

Boxcab E50

[foamer]

Well my camera or computer is not liking the idea of posting pics. To date nothing really new
has happened on the old Gateway line. I will keep trying to get these pics up.