TFM bought out by KCSM?

[ljeppson]

Here is Salt Lake we are starting to see cars more frequently with reporting marks "TFM." I thought KCS de Mexico bought out and replaced TFM. Is this not correct?

[Otto Vondrak]

TFM was created in the mid-1990s to privately operate some choice routes in northeastern Mexico. KCS purchased a large block of TFM stock, but there was a dispute about the actual ownership of routes in Mexico. In 2005 TFM was renamed KCSM. You'll probably see a lot of TFM equipment rolling for years to come, painting is not a high priority.

-otto-

[ljeppson]

I've been to their site which implies outright takeover of TFM by KCS de M, and you're probably right, but I saw a car just the other day in fresh paint, with TFM reporting marks, which obesrvation confused me.

[Matt K Dettman]

I've been to their site which implies outright takeover of TFM by KCS de M, and you're probably right, but I saw a car just the other day in fresh paint, with TFM reporting marks, which obesrvation confused me.

As Otto said painting isn't a high priority. However, in this case TFM is KCSM, the use of the TFM reporting mark is handy in expanding the car fleet. Just like the UP uses SP, CMO, ARMN, DRGW, etc. reporting marks. I'm sure there's a limit in the number of cars a reporting mark can be applied to.

[John_Perkowski]

Back in the days of the ICC there were arcane treatments and benefits to leaving ownership of cars in various subsidiary corporations.

If you looked at the lease plate on many pieces of UP equipment, you'd see some of the famous subisdiary roads:

OWR&N
OSL
LA&SL

even after the reporting mark changed back to UP.

Ditto ex-MP and ex-SP cars. Still in their reporting marks.

Heck, a couple months ago, I saw a gon marked NP!!! in a scrap train.

There may be, and probably are, good accounting reasons to keep TFM on the book.

[ljeppson]

I'm sure you're right. As an aside a couple of summers' ago (long after the UP-SP merger) I saw a shiny repainted black gondola in UP North Yard - SLC, not only with D&RGW reporting marks, but with a dandy "Thru the Rockies Herald!" How about that?