SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934

               Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                                 MARCH 19, 2003


                              KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN
                              --------------------
              (Exact name of company as specified in its charter)


         DELAWARE                    1-4717                  44-0663509
----------------------------     ---------------    ----------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission file    (IRS Employer Identification
    of incorporation)               number)                  Number)


                427 WEST 12TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64105

               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


                COMPANY'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:
                                (816) 983 - 1303

                                 NOT APPLICABLE

          (Former name or former address if changed since last report)









<PAGE>



ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

On March 19,  2003,  Kansas  City  Southern,  ("KCS")  announced  that Thomas A.
McDonnell  has been  named to its  Board of  Directors.  See the  Press  Release
attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 for further details.



ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(c)      Exhibits

         EXHIBIT NO.      DOCUMENT
         (99)             Additional Exhibits

         99.1             Press Release issued by Kansas City Southern dated
                          March 19, 2003 entitled, "Kansas City Southern Names
                          Thomas A. McDonnell to Board of Directors," is
                          attached  hereto as Exhibit 99.1


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company
has duly  caused  this  Report  to be signed  on its  behalf by the  undersigned
hereunto duly authorized.

                                   Kansas City Southern

Date: March 19, 2003           By:           /s/  Ronald G. Russ
                                   -------------------------------------------
                                               Ronald G. Russ

                            Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer



<PAGE>


EXHIBIT 99.1

KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN                                               PRESS RELEASE
427 WEST 12TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64105               NYSE SYMBOL: KSU

DATE:           March 19, 2003

MEDIA CONTACT:  Doniele Kane, 816-983-1372 or DONIELE.C.KANE@KCSR.COM

      KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN NAMES THOMAS A. MCDONNELL TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     Kansas City Southern (NYSE:  KSU) announced today that Thomas A. McDonnell,
president and chief executive officer of DST Systems, Inc. has been named to its
board of directors, increasing the number of directors to eight.

     "We are  pleased  that Tom has  agreed to bring his  leadership  skills and
tremendous success with DST Systems, Inc. to Kansas City Southern," said Michael
R. Haverty, chairman,  president and chief executive officer. "He is an asset to
the Kansas City  community and his strength of character  will add to an already
solid board."

     "I am honored to serve on the board of directors for Kansas City  Southern,
a company  that has been  serving  Kansas  City,  the Midwest and south  central
United States for more than 100 years," said Tom  McDonnell.  "I am also excited
about Kansas City Southern's  expansion into Mexico and Panama and the wealth of
opportunities for growth."

     Mr.  McDonnell began his business career with Kansas City Southern  Railway
in 1968. In March of 1969,  he moved to DST Systems,  Inc. From December 1989 to
October  1995 he  served as a  director  of The  Kansas  City  Southern  Railway
Company.  From September 1983 through  October 1995, he served as executive vice
president of Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc.

     On October 31, 1995, Kansas City Southern  Industries,  Inc. did an initial
public  offering  of  common  stock of DST  Systems,  Inc.,  at which  time DST,
formerly a wholly owned  subsidiary  of Kansas City Southern  Industries,  Inc.,
became majority owned by the public and effectively separated the two companies.

     Kansas City Southern is a transportation  holding company that has railroad
investments in the U.S.,  Mexico and Panama.  Its primary  holding is The Kansas
City Southern Railway  Company,  which serves customers in the central and south
central  regions of the U.S.  KCS' rail  holdings  and  investments  are primary
components of a NAFTA Railway  system that links the  commercial  and industrial
centers of the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

     DST Systems, Inc. (NYSE: DST) provides sophisticated information processing
and  computer   software   services  and  products  that  help  clients  improve
productivity,  increase  efficiencies,  and  provide  higher  levels of customer
service. DST is organized  domestically and internationally into three operating
segments:  Financial Services,  Customer Management,  and Output Solutions.  DST
operates  one of the most  advanced  data centers in the world,  which  provides
information-processing  services to support the products  within each  operating
segment.  These products are further  enhanced  through the integration of DST's
advanced technology and e-commerce solutions.

                                                        # # #
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "mcdonnell8k.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 5691}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN", "cik": "0000054480", "assigned-sic": "4011", "irs-number": "440663509", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-04717", "film-number": "03609541"}, "business-address": {"street1": "427 WEST 12TH STREET", "city": "KANSAS CITY", "state": "MO", "zip": "64105", "phone": "8169831303"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "427 WEST 12TH STREET", "city": "KANSAS CITY", "state": "MO", "zip": "64105"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN INDUSTRIES INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934

               Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                                 MARCH 19, 2003

                              KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN
                              --------------------
              (Exact name of company as specified in its charter)

         DELAWARE                    1-4717                  44-0663509
----------------------------     ---------------    ----------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission file    (IRS Employer Identification
    of incorporation)               number)                  Number)

                427 WEST 12TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64105

               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                COMPANY'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:
                                (816) 983 - 1303

                                 NOT APPLICABLE

          (Former name or former address if changed since last report)
ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

On March 19,  2003,  Kansas  City  Southern,  ("KCS")  announced  that Thomas A.
McDonnell  has been  named to its  Board of  Directors.  See the  Press  Release
attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 for further details.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(c)      Exhibits

         EXHIBIT NO.      DOCUMENT
         (99)             Additional Exhibits

         99.1             Press Release issued by Kansas City Southern dated
                          March 19, 2003 entitled, "Kansas City Southern Names
                          Thomas A. McDonnell to Board of Directors," is
                          attached  hereto as Exhibit 99.1

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company
has duly  caused  this  Report  to be signed  on its  behalf by the  undersigned
hereunto duly authorized.

                                   Kansas City Southern

Date: March 19, 2003           By:           /s/  Ronald G. Russ
                                   -------------------------------------------
                                               Ronald G. Russ

                            Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
EXHIBIT 99.1

KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN                                               PRESS RELEASE
427 WEST 12TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64105               NYSE SYMBOL: KSU

DATE:           March 19, 2003

MEDIA CONTACT:  Doniele Kane, 816-983-1372 or DONIELE.C.KANE@KCSR.COM

      KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN NAMES THOMAS A. MCDONNELL TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     Kansas City Southern (NYSE:  KSU) announced today that Thomas A. McDonnell,
president and chief executive officer of DST Systems, Inc. has been named to its
board of directors, increasing the number of directors to eight.

     "We are  pleased  that Tom has  agreed to bring his  leadership  skills and
tremendous success with DST Systems, Inc. to Kansas City Southern," said Michael
R. Haverty, chairman,  president and chief executive officer. "He is an asset to
the Kansas City  community and his strength of character  will add to an already
solid board."

     "I am honored to serve on the board of directors for Kansas City  Southern,
a company  that has been  serving  Kansas  City,  the Midwest and south  central
United States for more than 100 years," said Tom  McDonnell.  "I am also excited
about Kansas City Southern's  expansion into Mexico and Panama and the wealth of
opportunities for growth."

     Mr.  McDonnell began his business career with Kansas City Southern  Railway
in 1968. In March of 1969,  he moved to DST Systems,  Inc. From December 1989 to
October  1995 he  served as a  director  of The  Kansas  City  Southern  Railway
Company.  From September 1983 through  October 1995, he served as executive vice
president of Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc.

     On October 31, 1995, Kansas City Southern  Industries,  Inc. did an initial
public  offering  of  common  stock of DST  Systems,  Inc.,  at which  time DST,
formerly a wholly owned  subsidiary  of Kansas City Southern  Industries,  Inc.,
became majority owned by the public and effectively separated the two companies.

     Kansas City Southern is a transportation  holding company that has railroad
investments in the U.S.,  Mexico and Panama.  Its primary  holding is The Kansas
City Southern Railway  Company,  which serves customers in the central and south
central  regions of the U.S.  KCS' rail  holdings  and  investments  are primary
components of a NAFTA Railway  system that links the  commercial  and industrial
centers of the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

     DST Systems, Inc. (NYSE: DST) provides sophisticated information processing
and  computer   software   services  and  products  that  help  clients  improve
productivity,  increase  efficiencies,  and  provide  higher  levels of customer
service. DST is organized  domestically and internationally into three operating
segments:  Financial Services,  Customer Management,  and Output Solutions.  DST
operates  one of the most  advanced  data centers in the world,  which  provides
information-processing  services to support the products  within each  operating
segment.  These products are further  enhanced  through the integration of DST's
advanced technology and e-commerce solutions.

                                                        # # #