Indianola ­ Delta Western Feed Mill in Indianola was the site of the C&G
Railroad's 25th anniversary celebration as well as an announcement by Paul
M. Tellier, President and CEO of Canadian National of a sizeable financial
commitment to the C&G. The ceremony began at 11:00 a.m. with opening remarks
by Roger Bell, president of Columbus and Greenville Railway. "It gives us
great satisfaction to celebrate 25 years under present ownership, because we
believe the C&G has made a major impact on this area of our state," says
Bell. "Since 1975, the C&G has handled more than 315,000 carloads of freight
with revenues totaling more than $110 million. The majority of that revenue
has been reinvested in the communities we serve."
Bell gave a retrospective of the company, which began operation on October
30, 1975, as a railroad common carrier of bulk freight between Columbus and
Greenville, Mississippi. Although the original company was founded in 1878
as the Greenville, Columbus, and Birmingham Railroad, it changed ownership
several times until it fell into bankruptcy. The company was then purchased
in the late 1920's by Mr. A.T. Stovall, and it remained in the Stovall
family until 1972 when the line became a part of the Illinois Central Gulf.
After the flood of 1973 washed out significant portions of the railroad,
abandonment became eminent. Several local politicians and shippers banded
together and were able to sell 600,000 shares of stock at $2 per share. "The
support of this group of stockholders was critical in the startup of the
operation, and they have continued their loyal support all through the
years," Bell says. "Without them, the C&G certainly would not exist today".
Bell also expressed appreciation to both current and retired employees and
the shippers. Bell added that during the past ten years, the C&G has
installed more than 140,000 new crossties, added 110,000 tons of crushed
rock ballast, rebuilt or replaced more than two thousand-three hundred
linear feet of substandard and defective bridges, upgraded its fleet by
adding GP-38 locomotives and purchasing more than 200 railcars. This year
the railroad is relaying 38 miles of heavier, continuous welded rail which
will improve safety and allow increased efficiency of train operations.
"This anniversary is a most appropriate time to announce that the Canadian
National-Illinois Central Railroad (CN-IC) has agreed to finance $2.4
million in track improvements to enable the C&G to handle loaded railcars
weighing up to 286,000 pounds," says Bell. "As part of the agreement, Delta
Western, an affiliate and largest customer of the C&G, has committed to
route via CN-IC for the next ten years a substantial portion of the inbound
grain moving to its catfish feed production plant just west of Indianola."
"The financial support we are providing to improve rail service to Delta
Western, as well as other C & G shippers, demonstrates our commitment to
Mississippi and to the Delta region in particular," says Paul M. Tellier,
President and CEO of Canadian National. "We consider the Columbus and
Greenville one of our key partners in providing competitive,
customer-focused rail service to a state that we or our predecessor
companies have served for almost 150 years. The better service we can
provide shippers, the better for the region's economy overall. As
Mississippi grows, we grow."
Wayne Burkes, Vice Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board, was also on
hand for the announcement and says, "With the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
on the east end of the railroad, the Mississippi River on the west end and
the many Class I Railroad connections with the C&G, this makes the area
serviced by the C&G attractive for new industries. Numerous sites have been
developed along the C&G rail line already, and I believe this will bolster
confidence for other industries."
"The opportunity to receive CN-IC Efficiency Trains on the C & G in
combination with the increase to 286,000-pound capability will significantly
reduce our transportation costs and lower the overall cost of our fish feed
by as much as four dollars per ton," says Lester Myers, President of Delta
Western. "Demand for catfish products is spurring vibrant growth in the
catfish industry. We want to help keep the Mississippi Delta in the
forefront of that growth. We look forward to a long-term partnership with
Canadian National-Illinois Central," concluded Myers.
The program concluded with a ceremonial coupling of a CN locomotive with a
CAGY locomotive specially painted for the 25th anniversary.