CPKC Kansas City building

CPKC railroaders, joined by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, gathered Oct. 11 to celebrate the opening of CPKC’s state-of-the-art U.S. Operations Center at Knoche Yard in Kansas City, Mo.

 

CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel and the Mayor cut the ribbon on the building and unveiled a plaque commemorating the driving of the ceremonial Final Spike on April 14, 2023, an event that took place in the very spot where the building now stands. 

 

After breaking ground for the building during the Final Spike ceremony on the first day of CPKC’s historic combination last year, the four-story, 46,000 square foot tower was completed in just 15 months.

 

The building is home to the U.S. Network Operations Center, yard operations, CPKC Police and a new training centre.

 

“Bringing together our U.S. operating centers under one roof in Kansas City and creating a top-of-the-line facility for our employees is crucial to completing that journey and being able to provide seamless and superior service to our customers across North America,” says Mike Walczak, VP Network Operations.

 

The building was designed with sustainability in mind, and the architects also sought to honour railway heritage with the OC’s building design.

 

“The designers wanted to keep a theme that was integral to the railroad and the new CPKC brand,” says Muhammad A. Pasha, Managing Director Facilities. “They came up with a 1950s-themed railcar design which honours the history of both companies while serving CPKC with a beautiful layout for years to come.”

 

Designers carefully selected artwork and finishes to reflect the heritage of both Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern.

 

A final, crucial element of CPKC’s history is also placed on the grounds outside of the new Operations Center. The track panel used in the commemorative Final Spike ceremony is installed outside the front entrance of the building. This panel, where the commemorative Final Spike was driven on Apr. 14, 2023, marks the historic day CPKC was created and will serve as an important tribute to the exciting future of the company.