The Macaroni Line Reopens in Southeast Texas

[TexasLlano]

A rail line originally built in 1882 and that hasn't seen traffic since 1985 reopened on Wednesday, June 17. The line passes through Victoria, Wharton, El Campo, and Edna. The line is being used by Kansas City Southern Railroad to shorten the route from the Pacific Coast of Mexico to Kansas City, MO. The track has been revitalized by the railroad and there are expected to be six to eight freight trains a day along the route. There is also a plan to construct a bypass around the cities of Victoria and El Campo. The project, costing a total of $173.5 million, also includes an intermodal shipping facility at Kendleton. This is hopefully the first of many abandoned rail lines being reopened to help ease the number of trucks on Texas highways.

The line is called the Macaroni Line by locals because, according to news reports, that is what the Italian workers ate when building the rail line. Kansas City Southern refers to it as the Rosenburg Line.

 

[UP2CSX]

That's very nice for the KCS but I wish they had raised private capital instead of dipping into taxpayer guaranteed loans of over $100 million. This is the kind of spending that got us in the trouble we are in today. Since they applied for this loan in 2007, before the economy tanked, they should have been able to either use their own capital or private funding if this restored line was really going to be that profitable. Decreasing the number of trucks on Texas highways is not the prime directive for the KCS, it's making a profit. Investors certainly don't seem impressed by whatever value this line may hold since the stock is down almost a dollar in the last three days. The stock was selling at about $40 a share when they got this loan. It closed today at $16.57 a share, well off it's $55.90 high a year ago. Today's close was about the same as what the stock was worth in August, 2004.

As you can probably tell, I'm a very unhappy KCS shareholder. Until they unload Michael R. Haverty and his almost $18 million in salary and stock options, I don't think KCS is coming back anytime soon.

 

[ICG/SOU]

I guess that just means plain old UP and the occasional BNSF at Flatonia now. Maybe they'll be able to give UP a run for the money here in San Antonio, since UP really doesn't like to do less than carload or less than 2 or 3 carloads per customer.

The first time I went there I caught a east bound (from Victoria to Houston) KCS unit train with all new Southern Belle covered hoppers.

After spending a week back in Mississippi visiting my parents, if it wasn't for KCS, a lot of rail traffic would be no more there. Since IC/ICG and GM&O had most of the main lines, and IC/CN really only seems to care about one line to New Orleans and sold off or abandoned everything else, KCS was the only Class I to step in and take on the business.

 

[kenw]

yes, it means that KCS will be rare at Flatonia. But they already were the rarest of those there anyway, so the drop isn't as much as it would seem. They holed up WB in Columbus/Glidden constantly, seemingly the lowest rung on the ladder. Rock trains usurped them....

If there's a bright spot, it means my lunch at Rosenberg should be busier since KCS, UP and BNSF can all hold right at the crossing to come in from the west, instead of lining up (and spacing out) on just the UP and BNSF.

Who knows, UP may get rights to the Macaroni and start using it as well.....the tracks are so inbred now you can't ever be sure who's coming in on whos' track anyway....

 

[ICG/SOU]

I'll have to get over to Rosenberg sometime. It sounds pretty neat.

 

[kenw]

I'll have to get over to Rosenberg sometime. It sounds pretty neat.

Trey, if you want to get to Rosenberg, the best way is to take the Eagle Lake exit from IH10 just east of Columbus. In Eagle Lake you will rejoin the Sunset Route along US90A into Rosenberg.

KCS, BNSF and UP all join up or cross at Rosenberg. KCS merges onto UP from there into Houston, BNSF crosses and heads south missing Houston altogether, but many BNSF trains interchange onto UP tracks at Rosenberg to take the shortcut to Houston.

From just east of Seguin to Columbus, following US90 keeps you close to the Sunset until it veers south at Columbus. Lots of photo ops along the way.

 

[ICG/SOU]

Ken,

Thanks for the information. I'll have to take that way next time.

I just returned from my parents' house in Mississippi, and this time took IH20 to Longview, and then down US79 to Hutto. That stretch between Hearne and Hutto was nothing but train after train with plenty of places to stop alongside the road. Of note, I caught a picture of a CN unit on point of a UP train.

 

[kenw]

Hearne is a very busy spot, Trey, it is used as an outlying staging area for Houston incoming from the north. It is also very clsoe to Valley Jct (just west on 79) which is even busier. Here's some info on Hearne and surrounds....

http://mysite.verizon.net/gburrage1/

 

[ICG/SOU]

Hearne looks busy. In the 10 minutes I was there, I saw an auto train heading southeast (through the yard), activity at the GATX facility, a rock train going north at Valley Junction, and then some eastbound freights from the Austin sub.

I may go up there sometime when I have the whole day (and when it is cooler). It's so spread out, though, it'll take a couple of trips.