| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Parent company | |
| Locale | Louisiana /Mississippi |
| Dates of operation | 2005 (2005)–present |
| Predecessors | Vicksburg Route |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
| Length | 320 mi (510 km) |
TheMeridian Speedway is a 320-mile (510 km) span ofrailroad track betweenShreveport, Louisiana andMeridian, Mississippi. An important rail link between theSoutheastern andSouthwestern United States, it is operated as a joint venture ofCanadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), which owns 70% of the partnership;[1] andAlabama Great Southern Railroad, a subsidiary ofNorfolk Southern Railway (NS).[2]
The Speedway was originally two railroads: theAlabama and Vicksburg Railway built the section from Meridian to Vicksburg, while theVicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railway built the section from Vicksburg to Shreveport. Together they were known as the "Vicksburg Route."[3]
These railroads, as well as others forming a line fromNew Orleans, Louisiana, through Meridian toCincinnati, Ohio, were joined in 1881 to form theQueen and Crescent Route.[4]
In 1926, the Vicksburg Route was leased by theIllinois Central Railroad.[3] In 1986, Illinois Central divested itself of the line which was purchased by theMidSouth Rail Corporation. In 1993, KCS acquired the line as part of its purchase of MidSouth.
On December 2, 2005, KCS and NS announced their agreement to form a joint venture to operate the line. KCS contributed the rail line, while NS provided $300 million in cash, almost all of which was slated forcapital improvements to increase capacity and improve transit times.[5] TheSurface Transportation Board (STB) completed its regulatory review on April 10, 2006, and cleared KCS and NS to close the deal on May 1.
By September 2007, about $135 million had been spent on the improvements. Several new and longer passing sidings were installed along with a new CTC signaling system. The mainline was effectively rebuilt from the ground up with new ballast, crossties and heavier welded rail. The improvements enable up to 45 trains per day to traverse the line.[5]
In 2022, a proposal was made for passenger service on this line fromDallas to Meridian.[6]
On June 28, 2023, CPKC announced the intent to jointly acquire withCSX Transportation theMeridian and Bigbee Railroad (MNBR). The MNBR creates a connection between Meridian and CSX inMontgomery, Alabama.[7] The connection through the MNBR line will allow CSX traffic to or from Mexico to be delivered directly to CPKC, eliminating the need for a third railroad to move such traffic.[8]
Currently under study is the possibility ofAmtrak passenger service running over the Meridian Speedway toFort Worth. If realized, theCrescent train (e.g., train #19 southbound) upon arrival at Meridian would split into two sections: one continuing on to New Orleans and the other departing westward for Fort Worth.[9] In March 2023, Amtrak announced that it is seeking federal funding to once again study this proposal. Owing to KCS's continued opposition to hosting the train over the Speedway, continuation of the study depended on whether theSurface Transportation Board approved the merger of KCS withCanadian Pacific Railway.[10] Approval came on March 15, 2023,[11] becoming effective the following month, on 14th April, allowing work on the proposal to resume.[12]