GRANDVIEW, Mo. — People living near railroad tracks operated by Kansas City Southern hope their quality of life isn't impacted by a railroad merger.
Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific announced the merger on Wednesday.
According to the companies, the combination of the two railways creates a single line railway connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
“The Board expects that this new single-line service will foster the growth of rail traffic, shifting approximately 64,000 truckloads annually from North America’s roads to rail," Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern said in a joint statement.
The proposed increase doesn't leave Grandview resident Mike Cox thrilled.
“Depending on how many trains come through here, it’s going to be a lot worse," Cox said.
Cox explained his neighborhood is already disrupted by the one train that currently moves through the community.
“In the morning, usually anywhere between 5 and 7, there’s a train that comes through almost every morning," he said. "He hits the horn about halfway down the park and just lays on it all the way through. It wakes up everybody right through here.”
The train traffic doesn't bother longtime resident Bob Baker.
“We don’t even notice the train going up and down the track," said Baker.
He has lived near the tracks for 40 years and said his history dealing with the railroad company has been positive.
“They’ve been very courteous," Baker said. "They’ve never been obtrusive about anything."
The railroad industry has been in the spotlight following a Norfolk Southern train derailment that spilled hazardous material in East Palestine, Ohio.
Baker is confident that increased scrutiny of the railroad industry will benefit his community.
“Especially after the accident out in Ohio," Baker said. "Things go wrong, things get better.”
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