Railroad News

Rail News Home Kansas City Southern 12/20/2021 Rail News: Kansas City Southern
Kansas City Southern announced that its Holiday Express program has raised over $280,000 for The Salvation Army in 21 communities.The KCS Holiday Express, has raised $2.6 million since its founding 21 years ago. The donations provide warm clothing and other necessities for children in need.Pre-pandemic, the KCS Holiday Express train stopped in more than 20 communities every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, allowing visitors to board the train to meet Santa and tour the inside of the festive train. The train trip was canceled this year and last due to the pandemic, although the charitable fundraising aspect of the event has continued.Communities receiving donations this year include Kansas City and Slater, Missouri; East St. Louis, Illinois; Pittsburg, Kansas; Ashdown and Mena, Arkansas; Poteau and Stilwell, Oklahoma; Housteon, Laredo, Port Arthur, Victoria and Wylie, Texas; Baton Rouge, DeQuincy, Gonzalez and Shreveport, Louisiana; and Corinth, Jackson, Meridian and Vicksburg, Mississippi."As the pandemic continues, the fastest increasing area of need is for families who will be unable to pay their rent or mortgages and face eviction. The donations The Salvation Army will receive through the KCS Holiday Express will help keep families in their homes and keep hope marching on for them into 2022," said KCS President and CEO Patrick Ottensmeyer in a press release.

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 12/20/2021 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN expects to announce in January the selection of a new chief executive officer to succeed President and CEO JJ Ruest.The CN board’s search committee, with the assistance of Korn Ferry, has identified and continues to interview a number of candidates. In October, Ruest announced his plans to retire in January 2022, or at a later time when a successor is named.As part of its search process, the committee conducted “multiple rounds of interviews” with former CN executive Jim Vena and conducted due diligence with respect to his candidacy.However, last night Vena notified the board that he’s no longer interested in pursuing the role and has withdrawn from the process, CN officials said in a press release.Vena had been the choice of major shareholder TCI Fund Management, which earlier this year challenged CN’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern. KCS has since been acquired by Canadian Pacific, and KCS shares have been placed in a voting trust until the Surface Transportation Board decides whether to approve its merger with Canadian Pacific.