William N. Deramus III
Encyclopedia
William Neal Deramus III (December 10, 1915 – November 15, 1989) was an American
railroad executive; he led the Chicago Great Western Railway
(CGW), the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
, and the Kansas City Southern Railway
(KCS) through periods of great change in the railroad industry.
Deramus graduated from the University of Michigan
in 1936 and received his law degree from Harvard University
in 1939, and upon graduation entered the railroading industry with the Wabash Railway as a minor executive. During World War II
he used his railroading background and skills to help run the Ledo Road
, and upon his return, found work as an executive with the Kansas City Southern, which at the time was run by his father, William N. Deramus, Jr.
.
He was the youngest person ever to be elected to the presidency of a Class I railroad
in 1949 when he took the helm of the Chicago Great Western. In that year he also served on the Board of Directors for the second and final year of the Chicago Railroad Fair
. His tenure at the CGW was marked by increased modernization of the physical plant of the railroad and cost cutting. He left the CGW for a three-year stint as president of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas in 1957, then took over for his father as president of the KCS.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
railroad executive; he led the Chicago Great Western Railway
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
(CGW), the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
, and the Kansas City Southern Railway
Kansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
(KCS) through periods of great change in the railroad industry.
Deramus graduated from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1936 and received his law degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1939, and upon graduation entered the railroading industry with the Wabash Railway as a minor executive. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he used his railroading background and skills to help run the Ledo Road
Ledo Road
The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese as an alternative to the Burma Road which had been cut by the Japanese in 1942. It was renamed the Stilwell Road in early 1945 at the suggestion of Chiang Kai-shek...
, and upon his return, found work as an executive with the Kansas City Southern, which at the time was run by his father, William N. Deramus, Jr.
William N. Deramus, Jr.
William Neal Deramus, Jr. was an American railroad executive; He served as the longest running president of the Kansas City Southern Railway from 1941 to 1961. Deramus led the Kansas City Southern Railway through the depression by encouraging industry to locate on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana...
.
He was the youngest person ever to be elected to the presidency of a Class I railroad
Class I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
in 1949 when he took the helm of the Chicago Great Western. In that year he also served on the Board of Directors for the second and final year of the Chicago Railroad Fair
Chicago Railroad Fair
The Chicago Railroad Fair was an event organized to celebrate and commemorate 100 years of railroad history west of Chicago, Illinois. It was held in Chicago in 1948 and 1949 along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is often referred to as "the last great railroad fair" with 39 railroad companies...
. His tenure at the CGW was marked by increased modernization of the physical plant of the railroad and cost cutting. He left the CGW for a three-year stint as president of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas in 1957, then took over for his father as president of the KCS.