Vision Accomplished: The History of the Kansas City Southern

The remarkable story of the Kansas City Southern tells of a railroad that followed its own path from the very beginning led by a succession of visionaries unafraid to take risks in pursuit of success. Without the resources of earlier land grant railroads the Kansas City-based company forged a unique approach to growing its franchise. Though modest in size it developed an outsized personalized commitment to its customers suppliers and rail partners. With their vast rail networks larger railroads sometimes cajoled customers and smaller railroads into conforming to their service offerings while the Kansas City Southern sought to develop mutually beneficial relationships. Vision Accomplished is the story of a succession of individuals who – through the strength of their personalities vision courage and character – led the railroad through a series of perilous situations and in so doing crafted a corporate culture truly unique in the railroad industry. Author William H. Galligan describes how a railroad that by rights should have failed dozens of times instead survived and grew to become a major participant in the North American supply chain.

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