Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Concession Duty. Under KCSM’s 50 -year railroad concession from the Mexican government (the “Concession”), which could expire in 2047 unless extended, KCSM pays annual concession duty expense of 1.25% of gross revenues. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 , the concession duty expense, which is recorded within materials and other in operating expenses, was $4.9 million and $9.1 million , respectively, compared to $4.6 million and $8.7 million , for the same periods in 2018 . Litigation. The Company is a party to various legal proceedings and administrative actions, all of which are of an ordinary, routine nature and incidental to its operations. Included in these proceedings are various tort claims brought by current and former employees for job-related injuries and by third parties for injuries related to railroad operations. KCS aggressively defends these matters and has established liability provisions, which management believes are adequate to cover expected costs. Although it is not possible to predict the outcome of any legal proceeding, in the opinion of management, such proceedings and actions should not, individually, or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Environmental Liabilities. The Company’s U.S. operations are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. The major U.S. environmental laws to which the Company is subject include, among others, the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA,” also known as the Superfund law), the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act. CERCLA can impose joint and several liabilities for cleanup and investigation costs, without regard to fault or legality of the original conduct, on current and predecessor owners and operators of a site, as well as those who generate, or arrange for the disposal of hazardous substances. The Company does not believe that compliance with the requirements imposed by the environmental legislation will impair its competitive capability or result in any material additional capital expenditures, operating or maintenance costs. The Company is, however, subject to environmental remediation costs as described in the following paragraphs. The Company’s Mexico operations are subject to Mexican federal and state laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment through the establishment of standards for water discharge, water supply, emissions, noise pollution, hazardous substances and transportation and handling of hazardous and solid waste. The Mexican government may bring administrative and criminal proceedings, impose economic sanctions against companies that violate environmental laws, and temporarily or even permanently close non-complying facilities. The risk of incurring environmental liability is inherent in the railroad industry. As part of serving the petroleum and chemicals industry, the Company transports hazardous materials and has a professional team available to respond to and handle environmental issues that might occur in the transport of such materials. The Company performs ongoing reviews and evaluations of the various environmental programs and issues within the Company’s operations, and, as necessary, takes actions intended to limit the Company’s exposure to potential liability. Although these costs cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes that the ultimate outcome of identified matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Personal Injury. The Company’s personal injury liability is based on semi-annual actuarial studies performed on an undiscounted basis by an independent third party actuarial firm and reviewed by management. This liability is based on personal injury claims filed and an estimate of claims incurred but not yet reported. Actual results may vary from estimates due to the number, type and severity of the injury, costs of medical treatments and uncertainties in litigation. Adjustments to the liability are reflected within operating expenses in the period in which changes to estimates are known. Personal injury claims in excess of self-insurance levels are insured up to certain coverage amounts, depending on the type of claim and year of occurrence. The personal injury liability as of June 30, 2019 , was based on an updated actuarial study of personal injury claims through May 31, 2019, and review of the June 2019 experience. Although these estimates cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes that the ultimate outcome will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Tax Contingencies . Tax returns filed in the U.S. for periods after 2014 and in Mexico for periods after 2012 remain open to examination by the taxing authorities. In 2018, the IRS initiated an examination of the 2016 U.S. federal tax return. During the first quarter of 2019, the SAT initiated an audit of the KCSM 2013 and 2014 Mexico tax returns. The Company does not expect that these examinations will have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. During the first quarter of 2017, the Company received audit assessments from the SAT for the KCSM 2009 and 2010 Mexico tax returns. In 2017, the Company commenced administrative actions with the SAT. During the first quarter of 2018, the audit assessments were nullified by the SAT. In the third quarter of 2018, the SAT issued new assessments and the Company filed administrative appeals with the SAT. The Company believes that it has strong legal arguments in its favor and it is more likely than not that it will prevail in any challenge of the assessments. The Company litigated a Value Added Tax (“VAT”) audit assessment from the SAT for KCSM for the year ended December 31, 2005. In November 2016, KCSM was notified of a resolution by the Mexican tax court annulling this assessment. The SAT appealed this resolution to the Mexican circuit court. In September 2017, KCSM was notified of a resolution by the circuit court which ordered the tax court to consider an argument made by KCSM in the original tax court proceeding that was not addressed in the tax court’s November 2016 resolution. In October 2017, the tax court ruled that the arguments made by KCSM asserting that the SAT unduly extended the audit process were not valid, and also annulled the assessment consistent with the tax court’s earlier November 2016 ruling. In December 2017, KCSM and the SAT filed an appeal with the Federal Courts of Appeals. KCSM’s appeal was intended to preclude the SAT from issuing a new assessment. In November 2018, the Appeals Court issued a ruling denying the SAT appeal and permanently annulled the VAT assessment. The SAT is unable to appeal the decision. The Appeals Court also denied KCSM’s appeal. In February 2019, the SAT issued a new assessment that conflicted with the tax court’s guidelines. As such, in March 2019, KCSM filed a complaint with the tax court to require the SAT to follow the guidelines issued by the tax court that would result in no tax being assessed. In April 2019, the Company filed a nullification lawsuit with the tax court. In June 2019, the tax court ruled in favor of KCSM’s legal complaint, and declared the new 2005 VAT assessment null and void. The SAT is unable to appeal this decision, but could issue a new assessment through August 2019. The Company believes any new assessment based on the tax court’s guidelines should not have a material impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. KCSM has not historically assessed VAT on international import transportation services provided to its customers based on a written ruling that KCSM obtained from the SAT in 2008 stating that such services were not subject to VAT (the “2008 Ruling”). Notwithstanding the 2008 Ruling, in December 2013, the SAT unofficially informed KCSM of an intended implementation of new criteria effective as of January 1, 2014, pursuant to which VAT would be assessed on all international import transportation services on the portion of the services provided within Mexico. Additionally, in November 2013, the SAT filed an action to nullify the 2008 Ruling, potentially exposing the application of the new criteria to open tax years. In February 2014, KCSM filed an action opposing the SAT’s nullification action. In December 2016, KCSM was notified of a resolution issued by the Mexican tax court confirming the 2008 Ruling. The SAT appealed this resolution. In October 2017, the circuit court resolved to not render a decision on the case but rather to send the SAT’s appeal to the Supreme Court. In February 2018, the Supreme Court decided not to hear the case and remanded the SAT’s appeal back to the circuit court for a decision. In July 2018, the circuit court ordered the tax court to consider certain arguments made by the SAT in the original court proceeding that were not addressed in the tax court’s December 2016 resolution. On October 2, 2018, the tax court issued a decision confirming the 2008 Ruling. The SAT has appealed this decision. The Company believes it is more likely than not that it will continue to prevail in this matter. Further, as of the date of this filing, the SAT has not implemented any new criteria regarding the assessment of VAT on international import transportation services. The Company believes it is probable that any unexpected nullification of the 2008 Ruling and the implementation of any new VAT criteria would be applied on a prospective basis, in which case, due to the pass-through nature of VAT, KCSM would begin to assess its customers for VAT on international import transportation services, resulting in no material impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Fuel purchases in Mexico are subject to an excise tax that is included in the price of fuel. Through April 29, 2019, the Company was eligible for an IEPS credit for the excise tax included in the price of fuel that is purchased and consumed in locomotives and certain work equipment in Mexico. On April 29, 2019, the SAT published the 2019 Resolution, which eliminated locomotives as a type of equipment eligible for the IEPS credit beginning April 30, 2019. The Company believes the 2019 Resolution does not affect locomotives as equipment eligible for the IEPS credit generated from January 1, 2019 through April 29, 2019 and the Company should prevail in any challenge to this portion of the IEPS credit. KCSM filed a legal challenge to the 2019 Resolution based on various arguments, including, the SAT’s lack of authority to change the treatment of locomotives as equipment not eligible for IEPS credit adopted by the Mexico congress, and the discriminatory application against the rail industry. Contractual Agreements. In the normal course of business, the Company enters into various contractual agreements related to commercial arrangements and the use of other railroads’ or governmental entities’ infrastructure needed for the operations of the business. The Company is involved or may become involved in certain disputes involving transportation rates, product loss or damage, charges, and interpretations related to these agreements. While the outcome of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company believes that, when resolved, these disputes will not have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. Credit Risk. The Company continually monitors risks related to economic changes and certain customer receivables concentrations. Significant changes in customer concentration or payment terms, deterioration of customer creditworthiness, bankruptcy, insolvency or liquidation of a customer, or weakening in economic trends could have a significant impact on the collectability of the Company’s receivables and its operating results. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate and result in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required. The Company has recorded provisions for uncollectability based on its best estimate at June 30, 2019 . Panama Canal Railway Company (“PCRC”) Guarantees and Indemnities. At June 30, 2019 , the Company had issued and outstanding $5.6 million under a standby letter of credit to fulfill its obligation to fund fifty percent of the debt service reserve and liquidity reserve established by PCRC in connection with the issuance of the 7.0% Senior Secured Notes due November 1, 2026 (the “PCRC Notes”). Additionally, KCS has pledged its shares of PCRC as security for the PCRC Notes. |