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Kansas City Southern customers soon might be able to submit or modify their empty equipment orders on the Class I's Web site (www.kcsi.com).


Once KCS launches Management Control System (MCS) later this summer, the railroad plans to make Equipment Control System (ECS) available online, enabling customers to access data on empty cars heading to their loading facility and better plan dock operations.


KCS July 2 received its first empty-equipment order online during a pilot test of ECS, which was formed as part of MCS' waybill-only implementation in November 2001.


The railroad plans to continue the pilot program — which involves one customer — through July, possibly adding more customers as the pilot moves along, according to a July 9 statement.


KCS officials believe MCS, an operating platform designed to knit together shipment schedules through interchange using customers' own data, will enable the railroad to provide customers more accurate and timely information, and improve ease of doing business.


KCS also plans in fall to launch MCS on The Texas Mexican Railway to improve customers' ease of doing business with NAFTA Railway (which includes TFM S.A. de C.V.).