Type Public Revenue 2.418 billion USD (2015) Net income 438 million USD (2015) | Website www.kcsouthern.com Founded 1962 Total equity 3.914 billion USD (2015) | |
Traded as NYSE: KSU
DJTA Component
S&P 500 Component Key people David L. Starling
(CEO & President) Stock price KSU (NYSE) US$ 87.34 -0.54 (-0.61%)9 Mar, 4:02 PM GMT-5 - Disclaimer Headquarters Kansas City, Missouri, United States Subsidiaries Kansas City Southern Railway Company | ||
Kansas City Southern is the parent company of the Kansas City Southern Railway, a Class I railroad headquartered in the Quality Hill neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It is also sometimes known as "The NAFTA Railroad" in reference to the North American Free Trade Agreement because its operations carry goods between the Midwestern United States and Mexico.
Kansas City Southern was founded in 1887 by Arthur Edward Stilwell, with the goal of connecting the U.S. heartland to the Gulf of Mexico. An early slogan for the company was "The shortest route from Kansas City to salt water." Its original network linked Kansas City with Port Arthur, Texas. Although it remained financially strong, it did not add routes until the 1930s, when it expanded to Louisiana. From 1940 to 1969, KCS offered luxury passenger service between Kansas City and New Orleans, but ceased passenger operations due to the growing popularity of auto and air travel.
KCS' next large expansion did not take place until 1993, when it purchased the MidSouth Railroad, which provided its first east-west route, connecting Dallas, Texas to Meridian, Mississippi.
Due to KCS' geographic placement, the railroad has benefited from the passage of NAFTA in 1995.
KCS attempted to purchase the Southern Pacific Transportation Company from Southern Pacific Santa Fe Railroad Company in 1988, but was defeated by the Rio Grande's parent company, Rio Grande Industries.
KCS is also part owner of the Panama Canal Railway Company, which operates the Panama Canal Railway.