On February 13, two cutovers began improving velocity on Kansas City Southern Railroad' "Meridian Speedway" in Mississippi.

A siding extended to 9,000 feet at Vicksburg, MS was cutover to the main line and Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) from West Monument to West Smith, MS was cutover. As a result, train velocity is already improving through the area.

Management and train and engine crews on the line have been preparing for CTC since November with communications in the form of job briefing guides, rules of the day, Safety Tuesday briefings and the distribution of detailed maps of signal locations to train and engine crews. In addition, engineers and conductors from other KCSR locations, who are more experienced with CTC rode trains on this territory throughout the week of February 13 to familiarize train crews on the territory with CTC operations.

"I would like to thank everyone who was involved with the success of the CTC cutover," said Earl Hauptman, senior trainmaster, Jackson, Miss. "Your efforts have ensured a smooth transition."

The siding extension and CTC cutovers are part of a larger investment to increase capacity on the Meridian Speedway:

**In 2005, KCSR relayed rail, undercut the track and installed a new drainage system in the 11 miles between the east end of Vicksburg and the Mississippi River Bridge.

**In the last few months, two new receiving and departure tracks were cutover in High Oak Yard in Jackson, Miss. and another is slated for cutover this month. Construction of a new main line through the yard will begin in April.

**The CTC between West Monument and West Smith is part of a project to install CTC in the 50 miles between Bovay, La. and Jackson, Miss. The remainder of the CTC in this area will be installed in March.