KCSR to invest $19 million in Beaumont Subdivision

Kansas City Southern Railway Co. (KCSR), the U.S. subsidiary of Kansas City Southern, announced yesterday it will spend $19 million this year to improve infrastructure on its Beaumont Subdivision line between Texas and Louisiana to help grow capacity, as well as maintain and enhance safety on the Class I's cross-border network.

This year's projects are the final phase of a multiyear improvement program on the Beaumont Subdivision, which extends from Beaumont, Texas, to DeQuincy, La., according to a KCSR press release.

Projects will include the replacement of 20 miles of rail and 40,000 ties, as well as improvements to 10 grade crossings in Mauriceville, Texas, and DeQuincy and Starks, La.

"KCS, through its U.S. and Mexican subsidiaries, continues to invest an industry-leading percentage of its annual revenues to capital projects that expand our network’s capacity, keep our maintenance in a regular and healthy cycle, and grow our ability to handle the economic growth that is occurring along our network," said Chief Executive Officer David Starling. "Our systemwide 2015 investment continues this trend and helps us be a growth partner for our customers and the communities we serve."

In Texas, KCSR owns and operates 578 miles of track and operates more than 349 additional miles via trackage rights. KCRS also serves three intermodal facilities, an automotive facility, the Gulf ports of Beaumont, Corpus Christi and Port Arthur, as well as 42 transload facilities in the state.

In Louisiana, KCSR owns and operates 915 miles of track and serves the Louisiana river ports of Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and Natchitoches and the Gulf port of New Orleans. The railroad also serves 17 transload facilities in the state.

For more information on KCSR's maintenance-of-way plans in 2015, as well programs planned by other Class I's, read Progressive Railroading's MOW Spending Report 2015, which is published in the April issue.