I've read in the Railspot list in Yahoo! Groups (and verified it with a source in Texas) that KCS is losing the contract to move coal trains from Kansas City to De Queen, AR for handoff to the D&E/TO&E, which then takes them to the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative power plant west of Ft. Towson, OK. THese trains (which back in BN days were symbols JJ005/JJ006, loaded out at Buckskin Mine in Wyoming) will run BNSF Gillette, WY- Madill, OK, then Kiamichi RR Madill to Ft. Towson (KRR has trackage rights Lakeside- Madill). The new contract is effective April 1, 2002. BN did have this train, but UP and KCS won the contract. A new connector line from north of Valliant, OK to the power plant was built in the late 1990s- it includes a bridge over US Highway 70 and the Kiamichi main line. 132-pound welded rail exists on Kiamichi from Lakeside to Ft. Towson (installed by BN in the early 1980s).
My brother said he hasn't heard anything about it yet. But since they just lost the Oolagah contract to the UP it will help out some. They are in their slow season in Tulsa and rumors of jobs cuts abound.
I'm gonna go back to Railspot & re-read this post, but I believe it's fairly accurate (you know how railfans can be...... ) BTW, what does your brother do in the Tulsa area?
My brother is a switchman at CY. or should I say used to work days now he may end up on afternoons or maybe go back on the road as a conductor, where he can hold alot of regular turns. We used to work together as swman until I saw the light and went into engine service which then led me or should I say forced me to seek better places to work out side of Tulsa. That was back in the good old days when the RR was known by a better name.
