KCS/CP Merger Discussion

https://www.railwayage.com/regulatory/s ... -line-bid/

STB Rejects CN’s Springfield Line Bid
...
The STB reported in its March 15 merger-approval decision that “under the pre-2001 merger policy, the Board will not impose conditions unless it finds, among other things, that the consolidation may produce effects harmful to the public interest and that the narrowly tailored conditions will mitigate or eliminate the harmful effects.” The STB also said it is “disinclined to impose conditions that would broadly restructure the competitive balance among railroads with unpredictable effects,” and “there is no indication that the merger will create harmful effects that would be remedied by the proposed divestiture of the Springfield Line.”
...

What a difference forty years, and the "sunset" of a hidebound regulatory agency, makes in reviewing a railroad combination!!!

That statement applicable not only to CPKC, but also CSX-PAR.

Shortline614 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 10:33 am It's done! I was a little late on my prediction, but from now on I'll refrain from guessing when the government does stuff.

#2 CPKC will shift its crew change location near Ottumwa, IA. to a point further west and south on the CP Laredo Subdivision.

CP is going to move the crew change point about one mile west of the crew change point at the Ottumwa yard office.

Mr. JayBee, working off memories from forty two years ago, "my" MILW and the Q x'd at grade about a half mile West of the Q/Amtrak station. The MILW facilities are barely a half mile (compass) South of there.

Now that there is, and is to be, considerably more traffic handled on longer trains by CPKC, possibly, and I'd dare say likely, Uncle Warren doesn't want his 1:1 Lionel to be fouled by "the enemy's" (after all, he too can handle Twin Cities gateway traffic to KC) operations.

Finally, allow me to share first hand, that unlike the "cowboy wrapped", Laredo MO on the MILW is pronounced La' REED o.

Canadian Pacific hasn't been letting any grass grow under their feet waiting for the STB to render their decision. They have been extending sidings and installing CTC, doing infill on the Laredo, Ottumwa, Davenport, Chicago, and Marquette Subdivisions. On Tuesday, March 28th, a new section of CTC on the former DRI Line was commissioned from the North end of Nahant Yard to Clinton, IA. KCS also completed a new siding just north of Victoria, TX complete with CTC last week.

The new logo is out.

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Wow; cute.

OK; those of you around here with one of those paint sites, start thinking how such will kook on an SD-70

Don't know where that logo came from.

is from the CPKC website.

RandallW wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 7:36 pm Don't know where that logo came from.

is from the CPKC website.

No fooling. Crazy.

eolesen wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:33 pm The new logo is out.

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Isn’t that the mascot for “Bucees” the ginormous truck stop?

Ever see two such scrubbed up units in this day and age of "dirty diesels can pull as much as clean ones"?

https://www.railwayage.com/freight/clas ... nal-spike/

From a TV news clip aired last evening, it appeared that the Officials did about as well driving the spike as reportedly did their counterparts at Promontory.

These on-line MILW communities just won't give up:

https://news.wttw.com/2023/05/11/dupage ... ail-merger

Fair Use:

Eight northwest suburbs and DuPage County want a federal appeals court to take another look at the recently approved merger of two freight rail companies, a deal opponents say will create major public safety and quality of life problems for nearby residents.

Federal regulators approved the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern in March, which would create a new route linking Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. The newly merged company plans to run an additional seven to eight trains each day along tracks shared by Metra’s Milwaukee District West line running from Union Station out to Elgin.

OK; "back in my day", the MILW halted freight operations through the commuter territory 430P-6P (save situations such as a crew short on time), but the volume of traffic permitted such "luxuries". Today not the case; lest those communities not forget that the railroad was there first (something I remind myself of every time I'm stuck at Prospect Ave while Uncle Warren's manifiest rumbles along at 25mph) and their communities developed because it was there.

Looking at the CPKC System Map, one must wonder if CPKC will approach Uncle Pete for some kind of trackage arrangement over the Rock Island Mpls-KC (route of the "Twin Star Rocket").

Like it or not, "my MILW's" routing following "Ol Man River" to Davenport, thence a "straight shot" to KC is circuitous. No wonder when the 4R legislation of the later '70's, (about the time I realized my lifetime employment contract could be in danger of a "breach") the consultants named that stretch of the RI "the Spine Line". To what extent that term is still active, I know not.

Of course, I think our Uncle's response would be quite predictable; "If you folk think you're going to have so much traffic that your existing plant cannot handle it, better start thinking about at the least more and longer sidings and maybe even double tracking. If you are concerned if the additional day of transit time will cause some shippers to defect, better get your Traffic men out there to wine and dine them."