The presidents of Kansas City Southern Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad may be exchanging more than pleasantries, if recent discussions regarding opportunities in Mexico are any indication.
In a Jan. 31 letter to KCS’ Mike Haverty, UP’s Jerry Davis congratulated KCS-TMM on the Northeast Railway acquisition, adding that UP “has much at stake” in Mexico’s rail privatizations, and that the railroad “invested heavily” in the UP interchange at Laredo and Brownsville, Texas.
The railroad has “worked very hard to develop a beneficial alliance” with Ferrocarriles Nationals de Mexico in its Northeastern region, Davis wrote, adding that he hoped that the “excellent working relationship” could continue.
In his Feb. 7 response, Haverty wrote: “There should be many opportunities for us for us to work together, both in the United States and Mexico. … When you feel the time is appropriate, we and our partners would like to discuss mutual opportunities.”
No formal talks had been scheduled through late February.
— Pat Foran, managing editor
Source: The March 1997 issue of Progressive Railroading
