(The Kansas City Star posted the following article on its website on July 21.)
KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Southern Railway Co. today said it is leasing five branch lines in four states to three railroads owned by Watco Cos. Inc.
Watco, a short line railroad company based in Pittsburg, Kan., recently received the 2005 Governor’s Award of Excellence, the top business award in the state of Kansas.
Shippers along the leased lines in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma now will receive rail service from Watco’s Arkansas Southern, Louisiana Southern and Alabama Southern rather than Kansas City Southern Railway.
“With the execution of these leases, KCSR will free up resources to focus its energies on our core lines for the movement of NAFTA traffic,” said Art Shoener, KCSR president and chief executive officer.