IRON BILL'S MIDNIGHT MOVE

This article presents a profile of William N. Deramus, III, best known in railroading circles for a midnight move of the headquarters of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad from downtown St. Louis to Denison, Texas, in 1957. The Katy, as the railroad was known, was actually on the brink of bankruptcy when the new boss made his move, the author argues. Deramus was known for 18- and 20-hour workdays and hands-on experience and observation of his railroad properties. The writer details Deramus' skills at running the railroad and the major changes he wrought, even though he was only there for 4 years. He was also a leader in other fields, taking a small mutual fund and developing it into the Janus fund with more than $180 billion in assets today. Now, not a single railroad is headquartered in St. Louis, as other properties merged, went out of business or left town. Deramus died in his office in 1989 while head of Kansas City Southern Industries.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/6163876
• Corporate Authors:

  Kalmbach Publishing Company

  21027 Crossroads Circle
  P.O. Box 1612
  Waukesha, WI  United States  53187-1612
• Authors:
  • Carter, T S
• Publication Date: 2003-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 50-53
• Serial:
  • Trains
  • Volume: 63
  • Issue Number: 11
  • Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Company
  • ISSN: 0041-0934
  • Serial URL: http://trainsmag.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: History; Management and organization
• Identifier Terms: Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
• Subject Areas: History; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00966196
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 3 2003 12:00AM