Nolan Gregory
The Uncommon Carrier
136 years of railroad history came to a close last week as Canadian Pacific completed its acquisition of Kansas City Southern with a golden spike ceremony in Kansas City to connect the two railroads. As the company's iconic name, logo, and paint scheme begin to fade into history, the legacy of the KCS will continue to live on with its endearing fans, its employees, and with the people that inhabit the many small midwestern and southern towns the railroad has made an impact on. Few railroads have ever changed in the ways that the KCS has throughout its history. Images from earlier days of the railroad often include white F units and Geep locomotives plodding along rickety jointed rail and trains stretching across swamps and rivers on ancient wooden trestles. Today's version is almost incomparable with GE and EMD's most modern innovations decked out in the classic red, yellow, and Brunswick green Belle scheme working hard to move heavy trains across the system.
While the dozen or so trips I've made to KCS territory over the past five years will probably never be enough, I'm thankful for the chance I had to document this unique and extremely underappreciated outfit during the twilight of its existence. In a surprise twist, somebody decided it was necessary to take the F units out for one last joyride before CP took over. The train departed Deramus Yard in Shreveport at 0900 sharp, two days before the merger ceremony. By mid-day, it was descending the famed Rich Mountain grade into Heavener and making good time to arrive in Kansas City early the following morning.
Another lucky coincidence in this perfect storm of events had the train passing through Stillwell, Oklahoma during the evening hours. While not one of the most prominent scenic highlights of the north-south main, Stillwell is arguably the most historically significant location on the entire railroad. The town was incorporated in 1897 and named for KCS founder Arthur Stillwell, as a result of his choosing the build the railroad through the rolling hills of eastern Oklahoma after failed attempts to find a passage through the Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas. The town was a regular station stop for the Southern Belle when it provided passenger service between Kansas City and New Orleans until it was discontinued on November 3rd, 1969.
Thanks to the hardworking members of several organizations and historical societies in the area, the depot survived to see today's rendition of the Belle pass by for the final time under the ownership of the Kansas City Southern. The KCS was truly the last of America's classic class I railroads, the uncommon carrier amongst a sea of other companies represented by meaningless acronyms and website URLs plastered with bubble letters on the side of locomotives. So much more than just a flashy paint scheme, all the little quirks that made this railroad special will be dearly missed by all who appreciated it for what it was.
The Uncommon Carrier
136 years of railroad history came to a close last week as Canadian Pacific completed its acquisition of Kansas City Southern with a golden spike ceremony in Kansas City to connect the two railroads. As the company's iconic name, logo, and paint scheme begin to fade into history, the legacy of the KCS will continue to live on with its endearing fans, its employees, and with the people that inhabit the many small midwestern and southern towns the railroad has made an impact on. Few railroads have ever changed in the ways that the KCS has throughout its history. Images from earlier days of the railroad often include white F units and Geep locomotives plodding along rickety jointed rail and trains stretching across swamps and rivers on ancient wooden trestles. Today's version is almost incomparable with GE and EMD's most modern innovations decked out in the classic red, yellow, and Brunswick green Belle scheme working hard to move heavy trains across the system.
While the dozen or so trips I've made to KCS territory over the past five years will probably never be enough, I'm thankful for the chance I had to document this unique and extremely underappreciated outfit during the twilight of its existence. In a surprise twist, somebody decided it was necessary to take the F units out for one last joyride before CP took over. The train departed Deramus Yard in Shreveport at 0900 sharp, two days before the merger ceremony. By mid-day, it was descending the famed Rich Mountain grade into Heavener and making good time to arrive in Kansas City early the following morning.
Another lucky coincidence in this perfect storm of events had the train passing through Stillwell, Oklahoma during the evening hours. While not one of the most prominent scenic highlights of the north-south main, Stillwell is arguably the most historically significant location on the entire railroad. The town was incorporated in 1897 and named for KCS founder Arthur Stillwell, as a result of his choosing the build the railroad through the rolling hills of eastern Oklahoma after failed attempts to find a passage through the Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas. The town was a regular station stop for the Southern Belle when it provided passenger service between Kansas City and New Orleans until it was discontinued on November 3rd, 1969.
Thanks to the hardworking members of several organizations and historical societies in the area, the depot survived to see today's rendition of the Belle pass by for the final time under the ownership of the Kansas City Southern. The KCS was truly the last of America's classic class I railroads, the uncommon carrier amongst a sea of other companies represented by meaningless acronyms and website URLs plastered with bubble letters on the side of locomotives. So much more than just a flashy paint scheme, all the little quirks that made this railroad special will be dearly missed by all who appreciated it for what it was.