Vision Accomplished: The History of Kansas City Southern (Railroads Past and Present)

The remarkable story of the Kansas City Southern tells of a company that from day 1 followed its own path, led by a succession of visionaries who were not afraid to take risks in pursuit of the railroad company's success. Without the resources of the earlier land grant railroads, the Kansas Citybased company forged a unique approach to growing its franchise. It compensated for its modest size by developing an outsize, personalized commitment to its customers, suppliers, and rail partners. While larger railroads, with their vast rail networks, sometimes cajoled customers and smaller railroads into conforming to their service offerings, Kansas City Southern sought to develop mutually beneficial relationships with multiple constituents. Vision Accomplished is the story of a succession of individuals who through the strength of their personalities, vision, courage, and character led the railroad through one perilous situation after another and in so doing crafted a corporate culture truly unique in the railroad industry. It's a story of a railroad that by rights should have died dozens of times but continued to survive and grew to become a major participant in the North American supply chain. Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Maps Introduction 1. The Story Begins 2. Arthur E. Stilwell: Early Years 3. The Push South: 1890–1893 4. The Final Drive to the Gulf: 1894–1897 5. Receivership: The End of the Line for the KCP&G 6. Stilwell’s Final Years 7. The Dawn of a New Century Brings Prosperity 8. William N. Deramus II: An Era Begins 9. William N. Deramus III 10. The KCSI Years 11. Years of Turmoil: 1960–1979 12. Recovery 13. The Great Contraction: Consolidation in the 1990s 14. A Change at the Top: The Haverty Era Begins 15. Growth on the Fast Track: 1995–2000 16. The Panama Canal Railway Company 17. The Birth of Mexico’s Railroad System 18. The Game Changer 19. From KCSI to KCS; from TFM to KCSM 20. KCS Turns a Page 21. KCS Looks to the Future 22. Service Begets Growth 23. Game On: Private Equity Strikes First 24. The Canadians Pay a Visit—and Decide to Stay 25. The Curtain Falls on a 136-Year Adventure A Note on Sources Index About the Author