Conrail's management always had aspirations of expanding west, primarily into Texas to take advantage of increases in auto and petroleum shipments. A proposed cooperative effort was rumored with Kansas City Southern, the problem for Conrail was trackage through Missouri. There was a strong rumor just prior to the Conrail breakup about a possible merger with KCS but getting through Missouri was still an unresolved issue.
This was fueled years earlier when Conrail and KCS were both against the UP/SP merger as applied for by UP. They wanted a piece of the action and Conrail aquiring some of the SP to gain access into Texas. Conrail President LeVan was shunned by the UP when the UP cancelled a meeting with Conrail exec's about the merger and discussing the Conrail/KCS hopes about gaining some SP trackage.
Despite objections to the fed by Conrail and KCS the merger went through as applied, dismissing the claims of Conrail and KCS.
Attempt to expedite transcon movements and Texas movements w/ATSF and eliminate the intermediate carrier(s). Killed-off by SLSF, SP & MP. In 1983 ATSF tried a similar tact by trying to buy the ex-CRIP St.L to KC line it helped build in 1905.
Streator Bypass/ CR Kankakee Belt got busy for a while as a less desireable alternative around the black hole of Chicago.
Thanks, Mudchicken. I can't imagine Norfolk & Western would have agreed to allow Conrail trackage rights Danville (IL)/St. Louis-Kansas City unless it got something in return (access to Boston & NYC?).
Obviously, one victim of Conrail's strategy was the Toledo, Peoria & Western. Sources seem to agree that joint tariffs for the movement of traffic routed ATSF-Ft. Madison-TPW-Logansport-CR were eliminated in June 1981.
I found a list of Conrail abandonment and trackage rights applications 1975-1984 here http://digital.hagley.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16038coll16/id/0. On page 32, there is this application to the Interstate Commerce Commission for trackage rights over the Norfolk & Western Railway from Danville, Illinois (where ex-P&E and ex-NYC Egyptian Line intersect) and Kansas City and between St. Louis and Kansas City.FD 29430 Sub 13 4/2/81 Sec. 11343Consolidated Rail Corp.Application filed for granting of full joint use trackage rights to the Consolidated Rail Corp. over the Norfolk & Western Rwy. Co. between Danville, IL and Kansas City, MO and bet. St. Louis, MO and Kansas City, MO both by way of Moberly, MO.
The next entry shows they intended to acquire a share of the Kansas City Terminal Railway. FD 29430 Sub 16 4/2/81 Sec. 11301Consolidated Rail CorporationApplication filed to assume obligations in respect of securities of the Kansas City Terminal Rwy. Co.Anyone know the background of this attempt by Conrail to extend its reach Kansas City over a competitor's trackage? Were they serious? David P. JordanDunlap, Illinois
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