Baton Rouge Louisiana USA - No matter which railroad business may be permitted to acquire Kansas City Southern, both companies looking to buy the freight train line have now indicated that a Baton Rouge to New Orleans passenger rail service would be a priority.
 
CN outbid its competitor CP for KCS route by several billion dollars but pending federal review could sway the deal in either direction and the jilted suitor CP is lobbying the public to submit comments to the federal government about the proposal.
 
Public comments are expected to open at the end of June.
 
If CN, the larger of the two, is allowed to buy KCS the company indicated it would sell the 70 mile stint between Baton Rouge and New Orleans and foster passenger rail service between the two metro areas.
 
CN runs across Canada from the East to West then South to Chicago, Memphis, and then New Orleans.
 
KCS begins in Kansas then ends in New Orleans.
 
But CP's tracks stop in Kansas City.
 
The deal would open up a new market for the business whereas the bigger company would likely have to divest assets.
 
Likewise, a top executive at CP said that the company reached out to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards' administration about supporting a passenger rail project as well.
 
"Our understanding is the Governor is looking for passenger service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. But who is going to pay for it? We could intermix freight with passenger service. We have the best track record (with Amtrak) for on-time service, a few weeks ago our CEO reached out to the governor. I'm sure that we could do it," said John Brooks, chief marketing officer of CP.
 
Freight trains own the tracks and passenger rail services are scheduled around freight which takes priority for shipping via railways.
 
CP already has agreements with Amtrak in other markets.
 
Kristen Mosbrucker.