Pension Fund Clings to Local Rail Control
Published Date: 2/19/2025
Notice
Summary
OPSEU Pension Plan Trust Fund and Jaguar companies are keeping control of Kansas City West Bottoms Railroad as it starts running trains. KCWB will lease and operate a short rail line in Kansas City, replacing Union Pacific as the operator. This move won’t connect KCWB to Jaguar’s other railroads or involve big Class I railroads, so it’s a smooth, quick approval with no big money changes announced.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
No Labor Protections for KCWB Deal
Because this transaction involves only Class III rail carriers, the Board may not impose labor protective conditions under 49 U.S.C. 11326(c). That means rail employees tied to this deal will not receive special labor-protection conditions from the Surface Transportation Board for this continuance-in-control exemption.
KCWB Replaces Union Pacific Operator
Kansas City West Bottoms Railroad (KCWB) will lease and operate approximately 1.25 miles of Union Pacific track in Kansas City (Jackson County, MO, and Wyandotte County, KS), replacing Union Pacific as the line operator. The exemption allowing this change is effective March 5, 2025, and Jaguar says KCWB will not connect to Jaguar’s other railroads and no Class I carrier is involved.
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Key Dates
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