SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- The stories of rail cargos getting held at the U.S.-Mexico border for days are a shipper’s worst nightmare. Avoiding such delays may be easier than expected, however, says a manager with Kansas City Southern -- a railroad with operations in both countries.

Certainly, border agents are concerned about stowaways and contraband smuggling, but with the right paperwork completed by the right people, shipments will pass inspections more quickly, said Rocky Loessin, business implementation manager with Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS). Loessin offered the suggestion Tuesday at the annual meeting of the Southwest Association of Rail Shippers (SWARS). He presented a sessi...