For the three months ended Sept. 30, the railroad company earned $25.8 million, or 27 cents a share, on $386.1 million in revenue.

Kansas City Southern beat the average estimate of analysts of 24 cents a share.

While earnings and revenue were down from the same period last year, the company said it was encouraged by each commodity group showing improved business from the 2009 second quarter. Operating costs were also down 21 percent from the same time last year.

The latest figures "confirmed comments made by management during the second quarter earnings call that the company believed it was beginning to experience a gradually improving business environment," said Kansas City Southern chairman and CEO Michael R. Haverty in a statement.

Double-digit rises in volumes and revenue compared to the second quarter "provide reason to believe that at least we are seeing some signs of a modest recovery," Haverty added.