Edward L. Moyers facts for kids

Edward L. Moyers, Jr. (born October 3, 1928 – died June 5, 2006) was a very important leader in the American railroad industry during the 1900s. He was the president and CEO of several big railroad companies like MidSouth Rail, Illinois Central Railroad, and Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1995, a magazine called Railway Age even named him the "Railroader of the Year" because of his great work.

Early Life and Education

Edward L. Moyers, Jr. was born on October 3, 1928, close to Meridian, Mississippi. His parents were Edward L. and Lucille Moyers. He went to Louisiana Tech University and earned a business degree in 1955.

A Leader in Railroads

Moyers started his career as a leader at the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway.

MidSouth Rail: Making Trains Faster

In the 1980s, a company called Prospect Group bought about 412 miles of railroad tracks. These tracks used to belong to the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. Prospect Group created a new company called MidSouth Rail and made Moyers its first president.

Moyers worked hard to make these railroad lines better. He helped trains go much faster, increasing their average speed from 10 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour. After Moyers left MidSouth, the tracks were later bought by the Kansas City Southern Railroad in 1993.

Leading the Illinois Central Railroad

In 1989, Moyers became the president of the Illinois Central Railroad. He had a plan to make the company profitable again. He worked to cut costs, like reducing the number of employees and selling extra rolling stock (train cars).

One of his big projects was to change the railroad's main line. It used to have two tracks with a system called ABS. Moyers decided to change it to a single track with a new system called CTC. This project saved the railroad a lot of money. They sold the old materials for about $50 million and saved even more on supplies. The new CTC system was expected to save about $100 million.

Moyers retired from Illinois Central in 1993. The Illinois Central Railroad was later bought by the Canadian National Railway in 1998.

Turning Around Southern Pacific Railroad

After leaving Illinois Central, Moyers was asked to help another big railroad company, the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP). He became the chairman and CEO of Southern Pacific in July 1993.

Just like at Illinois Central, Moyers worked to make Southern Pacific more efficient. He helped the company go from losing $149 million in 1993 to earning $242 million in 1994. He resigned in 1995 due to health reasons. The Southern Pacific Railroad was later bought by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1996.

"Railroader of the Year"

Because of his amazing work in the railroad industry, Railway Age magazine honored Moyers as the "Railroader of the Year" in 1995. This award recognized his big contributions to American railroads.

Life After Railroads

Even after retiring from leading railroad companies, Moyers stayed busy.

College Involvement

In 1988, he joined the board of trustees for Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. He was named a "Life Trustee" in 1998. He also gave a speech at the college's graduation ceremony in 2000.

Moyers also supported Louisiana Tech University, where he had studied. He helped raise money for the university and created scholarships for honors students in the College of Business.

Investing in Global Railroads

Moyers continued to invest in railroad projects around the world. He was part of a group that bought railroad lines in Brazil from the Brazilian government. His ideas and business plans were very important in creating a new railroad company there called Ferronorte.

Later Life and Legacy

Edward L. Moyers, Jr. passed away on June 5, 2006, in Naples, Florida. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Ruston, Louisiana.

Moyers left a generous gift to Louisiana Tech University. In his memory, the university created the Moyers Scholarships in 2007, helping students continue their education.