On Wednesday, NS filed a request with the Surface Transportation Board for “expedited” granting of access to the KCS line between Kansas City, Mo., and Mexico, Mo.
The filing is the result of flood waters and debris that took out a bridge Oct. 1 on NS near Brunswick, Mo., about 90 miles east of Kansas City, crippling its Kansas City District between Kansas City and Moberly, Mo.
“Because the Grand River Bridge is expected to remain inoperable for several weeks or months, NSR has entered into a written TRA (Trackage Rights Agreement) with KCS by which NSR will be granted nonexclusive, temporary overhead trackage rights over KCS’s line between Mexico, Mo., (KCS Milepost 325.7) and Rock Creek Junction at Kansas City, Mo., (KCS Milepost 482.0), a total of 156.3 miles,” the filing says.
Although NS officials told customers that service should be restored within a month, the petition seeks authority to operate on KCS until Sept. 30, 2020, and the filing says the agreement between the railroads calls for it to end when NS notifies KCS that it has reopened the stricken line.
