Kansas City Southern Merch

1953 Kansas City Southern Map

Kansas City Southern Lines 1887

Kansas City Southern Lines 1887

The Kansas City Southern Railway Company (reporting mark KCS) was an American Class I railroad. Founded in 1887, it operated in 10 Midwestern and Southeastern U.S. states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. KCS had the shortest north-south rail route between Kansas City, Missouri, and several key ports along the Gulf of Mexico. The focus of the routes was the fastest way to connect Kansas City to salt water ports as it was 800 miles from Kansas City to the Gulf of Mexico compared to 1,400 miles between Kansas City and the Atlantic Ocean ports. KCS operated over a railroad system consisting of 3,984 route miles that extend south to the Mexico–United States border.