Subsequent Events

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Subsequent Events [Text Block]

SUBSEQUENT EVENT:

On January 2, 2014, the Company and Canadian Pacific (CP) jointly announced their entry into an agreement pursuant to which the Company will purchase the assets comprising the western end of CP's Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) line for a cash purchase price of approximately $210 million, subject to certain adjustments including the purchase of materials and supplies, equipment and vehicles. The Company intends to fund the acquisition with borrowings under its existing Credit Agreement.

The asset acquisition is expected to close by mid-2014, subject to approval of the STB and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. Upon closing, the Company's new railroad will be named Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad (RCP&E). The Company expects to hire approximately 180 employees to staff the new railroad and anticipates these employees will come primarily from those currently working on the rail line. The western end encompasses approximately 670 miles of CP's current operations between Tracy, Minnesota and Rapid City, South Dakota; north of Rapid City to Colony, Wyoming; south of Rapid City to Dakota Junction, Nebraska; and connecting branch lines as well as trackage from Dakota Junction to Crawford, Nebraska, currently leased to the Nebraska Northwestern Railroad (NNW).