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Aug
20

UP, Progress Rail to use biodiesel fuel to cut GHG emissions

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 8/20/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad locomotives will be getting a boost of biodiesel fuel under an updated fuel recommendation by Progress Rail.The company has approved the use of up to 20% biodiesel blend in specific EMD locomotive series operated by UP. Previously, the locomotives were approved to operate at 5%.The updated fuel recommendation comes after testing high-horsepower locomotives, used for hauling freight long distances, and monitoring performance for things such as fuel consumption, as well as impact on engine oil and fuel filters. Progress Rail is currently undergoing additional testing and development, UP and Progress Rail officials said in a press release."Union Pacific is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint, and this is another step toward achieving our long-term goal to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 26% by 2030," said UP Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer Beth Whited, who oversees the railroad's environmental, social and governance-related efforts.Progress Rail is "committed to offering sustainable solutions by providing products that facilitate fuel transition, increase operational efficiency, and reduce emissions," said Progress Rail President and Chief Executive Officer Marty Haycraft. “Through continually investing in new products, technologies, and services, we offer a wide range of fuel flexibility, making a meaningful, positive impact on the environment and supporting our customers in achieving their GHG reduction goals.”

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Aug
12

UP posts past three years' equal employment opportunity reports online

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 8/12/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad recently uploaded its certified equal employment opportunity-1 (EEO-1) reports from 2018, 2019 and 2020 onto its website.The data supplements quarterly workforce reports and UP’s annual “Building America’ report, which shows the demographic composition of the railroad’s workforce and highlights diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts.The Class I aims to attract and retain a diverse workforce to access the broad skills, character and perspectives it needs to foster innovative ideas and help customers compete on a global playing field, UP officials said in a press release."Transparency is a key objective if we want to move the needle. Our managers must understand the best way to unleash the full potential of our workforce is to embrace diversity and lead diverse teams,” said UP Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer Beth Whited. “These reports help us know where we are today and guide us as we move forward and identify solutions to help us achieve our D&I goals."EEO-1 reports are based on employee self-identification and on categories that are applied uniformly across industries to ensure consistency. The D&I quarterly report and Building America report show results based on the way UP is structured as a company and include active employees, which better reflects the human resources available to the company, UP officials said.In addition, the D&I and Building America reports provide minority data as one measurement while EEO-1 reports break down minority data into different employee groups.

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Aug
06

UP's Lujan: Freight, passenger railroads work better as partners

Union Pacific Railroad Assistant Vice President-External Relations Wes Lujan recently posted a column on the freight-rail industry’s relationship with Amtrak.

The column’s timing is related to Amtrak’s 15-year, $75 billion plan to expand intercity passenger-rail service across the country. The plan will depend on Congress passing federal funding to help pay for it, as well as negotiations with the nation’s freight railroads on whose tracks Amtrak trains would travel.

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Jul
22

UP produces 'record' quarterly results

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 7/22/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad today reported 2021 second-quarter net income of $1.8 billion, or $2.72 per diluted share, compared to $1.1 billion, or $1.67 per diluted share, a year ago.The Class I leveraged volume growth, core pricing gains and productivity to produce record quarterly results, UP Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Fritz said in a press release.Compared with Q2 2020 results, UP's operating revenue of $5.5 billion jumped 30%; business volumes, as measured by total revenue carloads, at 2 million units climbed 22%; and operating income of $2.5 billion soared 50%.UP's operating ratio improved to 55.1% during the quarter from 61% a year ago. Higher fuel prices negatively impacted the operating ratio by 210 basis points, UP officials said.Also during Q2, UP’s freight car velocity was 213 daily miles per car, a 6% decline; locomotive productivity was 140 gross ton-miles per horsepower day, a 3% improvement; average maximum train length was 9,410 feet, a 9% increase; and fuel consumption rate (measured in gallons of fuel per thousand gross ton-miles) improved 3%."Importantly, these strong results were achieved in a challenging environment as our rail network continues to be impacted by supply chain disruptions, particularly in the intermodal space," said Fritz. "As we move into the second half of 2021, we will continue working with our customers and the broader supply chain to increase fluidity and efficiently handle the strong demand for freight transportation."

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Jul
13

UP tank cars assist lava fire fight

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 7/13/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Beginning June 29, Union Pacific used its water tank train to help fight a lava fire in Northern California. Photo – up.com

A Union Pacific Railroad firefighting crew with water tank cars from the Class I's fleet helped fight a lava fire in Northern California in late June, according to an article on UP's website.

UP operates a fleet of about 50 water tank cars known as the fire-car fleet. The former tank cars were converted into water pump cars and can hold 7,000 to 23,000 gallons of water. They feature nozzles that can spray water more than 75 feet.

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Jun
18

UP announces DEI giving goals

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 6/18/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad yesterday announced new diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) giving goals, as well as a summer tour that features a new commemorative locomotive dedicated to diversity.UP believes DEI principles are critical to its success. As a result, UP officials are asking every program or organization that it supports financially through its Community Ties Giving Program to demonstrate a commitment to DEI principles by 2023, company officials said in a press release.The company views its goal of reaching 100% of DEI-aligned grants as a multiyear effort.Meanwhile, UP's new "We are One" tour will begin tomorrow, Juneteenth Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.The brightly colored locomotive will start its 2021 journey in Houston, Texas. UP No. 1979 is only Union Pacific's 18th commemorative locomotive. It honors the company's nine employee resource groups (ERGs) and the work they do to support DEI. The unit commemorates the year UP's first ERG ‚ the Black Employee Network, was established in 1979.

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Jun
09

UP service unit cuts reportable injuries by 25%

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 6/9/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Yardmen Marty Kern and Chris Tompkins Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad's Heartland Service Unit has reduced its personal reportable injuries by 25% and human factor-derailments by 58% so far in 2021.

One of the unit's initiatives, called "Walk-with-Me Wednesdays," engages directly with train crews, UP officials said in an item posted on the Class I's InsideTrack web page. Each Wednesday, supervisors walk around the yard with two employees and show them how safe and reliable service impacts customers.

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May
28

'We Are ONE' commemorative locomotive debuts

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 5/28/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
UP No. 1979 is named after the year the Class I launched its first ERG, the Black Employee Network. Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad's "We Are ONE" Employee Resource Group (ERG) commemorative locomotive is ready to hit the tracks. UP No. 1979 is named after the year in which the Class I established its first ERG, the Black Employee Network (BEN).

The locomotive will travel through UP's system on its way to the ONE ERG conference to be held in Omaha Sept. 1-2. Its unveiling will be held in Houston in honor of Juneteenth day, the holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States.

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May
04

Union Pacific unveils ESG goals in annual report

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 5/4/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
The 2020 Building America Report is the first to include the company's Fact Book. Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad yesterday published its 2020 Building America Report, the railroad's annual report on its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.

The report unveils UP's new cumulative ESG strategy called "Building a Sustainable Future 2030," which includes four areas of concentration: investing in the UP workforce, driving sustainable solutions, championing environmental stewardship and strengthening the communities UP serves.

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Apr
30

UP constructing grain transload terminal near Chicago

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 4/30/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad is building a state-of-the-art grain transload facility within its Global IV intermodal terminal in Joliet, Illinois.The UP Global IV Transload facility will be managed by JCT, a 50-50 joint venture between Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. and Gavilon Grain LLC.Construction began this month and completion is anticipated by fourth-quarter 2021. Once fully operational, the terminal will have the capacity to process 50,000 containers per year, UP officials said in a press release.UP Global IV Transload will be open to all Midwest agricultural producers and processors, expanding connection opportunities to both empty containers and UPs extensive West Coast port terminal network. Regional producers and processors will be able to transport their product by truck to Global IV, where it will be transloaded into containers for shipment by rail to West Coast ports, then loaded onto ocean carriers and shipped to overseas markets.The program will offer greater access to containers for exporters and faster turnaround times for ocean carriers, UP officials said."This facility will support the regional agriculture economy by providing reduced supply-chain costs and efficient loading support for exporting grain products, whole grains and oilseeds," said Kari Kirchhoefer, UP's vice president of marketing and sales premium. "By co-locating on site at G4, we create greater efficiencies within the supply chain."

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Apr
22

Union Pacific reports lower profit, revenue in Q1

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 4/22/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Corp. today reported first-quarter 2021 net income of $1.3 billion, or $2 per diluted share, compared with $1.5 billion, or $2.15 per diluted share, during the same period a year ago.The Class I’s operating revenue of $5 billion declined 4% during the quarter. Business volumes, as measured by total revenue carloads, fell 1% compared to Q1 2020 due to declines in industrial and bulk shipments, partially offset by strength in premium carloads.The quarter presented "some real challenges that impacted our results," said Lance Fritz, UP's chairman, president and chief executive officer."We generated solid productivity through efficient use of our resources despite the significant weather event that covered most of our network in February and early March," Fritz said in a press release. "Looking to the rest of the year, an improving economic outlook, our continued commitment to value based pricing that exceeds inflation and the opportunity for strong productivity give us confidence to affirm our 2021 guidance."UP reported a Q1 operating ratio of 60.1%, up from 59% last year. The increase was attributed to weather and rising fuel prices.Quarterly freight revenue declined 5%, as core pricing gains were more than offset by a less favorable business mix, decreased fuel surcharge revenue and volume declines.Also during the quarter, UP's “service product and lower cost structure” attracted new business and growth opportunities, Fritz said."There are many more growth opportunities to capture by also helping our customers efficiently and reliably reduce the carbon intensity of their supply chains," he said.

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Apr
19

UP to close East Texas rail-car maintenance facility

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 4/19/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad last week notified employees that it will close a rail-car maintenance facility in Palestine, Texas, with 57 positions to be eliminated in mid-June."This workforce reduction is the result of operational changes across our system and is part of Union Pacific’s continuous effort to provide competitive rail service to our customers," UP officials said in an emailed statement.While the Class I is closing its main car repair facility in Palestine, limited car repair activities will continue in the Palestine area, they said."We did not take this step lightly but we are determined to do the right thing for the thousands of customers, employees and communities who rely on us to help build sustainable economic growth across the western two-thirds of the United States," UP officials said. "We appreciate the support we have received over the years in the communities of Palestine and Anderson County, as well as the hard work and dedication of our employees. We are working with those impacted to help them with job placement activities."  

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Apr
05

UP moved record number of wind trains, high-wide loads in 2020

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 4/5/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
UP's clearance team is responsible for measuring and ensuring the safe movement of high-wide loads on bridges.Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad in 2020 moved 404 total wind trains, a record high at more than one per day.

Last year's record broke its previous annual record of 242 wind trains, which was set in 2019, UP reported last week in its InsideTrack newsletter.

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Mar
05

UP's Bailey Yard hosts COVID-19 vaccination clinic

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 3/5/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Sgt. Michael Fischer, a combat medic assigned to the Nebraska Army National Guard's 92nd Troop Command, prepared for a mass vaccination clinic for workers at the UP Bailey Yard.Photo – army.mil/ Maj. Scott Ingalsbe

Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers and the West Central District Health Department last week administered COVID-19 vaccines to Union Pacific Railroad workers in a temporary mass vaccination clinic at UP's Bailey Yard in North Platte, Nebraska.

More than 260 UP employees received their first of two vaccine doses on Feb. 25. The vaccine is being offered to transportation industry workers under Phase 1b of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services statewide distribution plan, according to an article on the U.S. Army's website.

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Feb
19

UP, National Park Foundation extend partnership

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 2/19/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
NPF is making educational experiences in parks more accessible.Photo – NPS Photo / Kayla McCraren

Union Pacific Railroad and the National Park Foundation (NPF) and announced a continuation and expansion of their partnership to help connect students to national parks.

This commitment advances NPF's goal to double the reach of its Open OutDoors for Kids (OOK) program over the next four years, according to a news release.

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Feb
04

UP engineers create controlled avalanche at Donner Pass

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 2/4/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
The equipment — called the avalauncher — releases two pounds of explosives at the mountain to create a controlled avalanche.Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad engineers in the Roseville Subdivision one-upped Mother Nature at California's Donner Pass by creating a controlled avalanche before she brings the snow crashing down, according to an article on the Union Pacific’s Inside Track website.

The equipment — called the avalauncher — releases two pounds of explosives at the mountain to create a controlled avalanche.

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Feb
02

Manufacturing Institute announces Union Pacific partnership focused on women and youth workforce

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 2/2/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
The Manufacturing Institute (MI), the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, recently announced a three-year partnership with Union Pacific Railroad to shrink the workforce gender gap by encouraging more women and young people to pursue modern industry careers.The $3 million grant from Union Pacific will fund a new initiative called Careers on Track. The initiative will support workforce development and career solutions for women and will include creating a digital STEM curriculum, a virtual 3D-mapping STEM experience and a STEM micro-grant program for women.The Institute will also leverage existing programs, such as Heroes MAKE America, the STEP Women's Initiative and its youth engagement platform, to launch a digital campaign to bring awareness to the workforce gender gap and inspire the next generation of workers."There are nearly 500,000 job openings right now in manufacturing and millions more expected over the next decade, and closing the gender gap is a critical part of meeting this incredible need. That's why we are excited to work with a partner like Union Pacific that shares our vision of supporting the women's workforce of tomorrow while advancing the women's workforce of today," said MI Executive Director Carolyn Lee. 

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Jan
21

UP posts Q4 2020 results, increases capex for 2021

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 1/21/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Corp. today reported fourth-quarter 2020 net income of $1.38 billion, or $2.05 per diluted share, near the previous year's Q4 results of $1.4 billion, or $2.02 per diluted share.The Q4 2020 results include a previously announced $278 million pre-tax, non-cash impairment charge. Without that charge, the Class I's adjusted income was $1.6 billion, or $2.36 per diluted share."These outstanding results demonstrate the true potential of our franchise as we leveraged all three profitability drivers simultaneously — volume growth, productivity and pricing — to produce record fourth-quarter results," said UP Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Fritz in a press release.UP's operating revenue declined 1% to $5.1 billion in the quarter compared with the same period in 2019. Business volumes, as measured by total revenue carloads, climbed 3%. Premium volumes rose, while bulk was flat and industrial traffic declined, UP officials said.In addition, quarterly freight revenue fell 1%, as volume growth and core pricing gains were offset by decreased fuel surcharge revenue and a less favorable business mix.UP reported a 61% operating ratio for the quarter compared with 59.7% in Q4 2019. When adjusted for the impairment charge, the Class I's operating ratio was 55.6% — an all-time quarterly record."While the economic outlook for 2021 remains uncertain, we will build off our solid 2020 performance to produce continued strong productivity through operational excellence," said Fritz. "We expect our enhanced service product will support both solid core pricing gains while also increasing our share of the freight transportation market."Also today, UP reported it plans to spend $2.9 billion on capital expenditures this year, up from $2.8 billion in 2020. The 2021 capital plan includes $1.8 million for infrastructure improvements; $255 million for locomotives and equipment; $535 million for capacity/commercial facilities; $235 million for technology; and $80 million for positive train control/energy management systems.

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Nov
23

UP to open Twin Cities intermodal terminal

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 11/23/2020 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
The new service will feature domestic intermodal movements between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Los Angeles.Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad last week announced the opening of a Twin Cities intermodal terminal, which will launch intermodal service to Minneapolis in January 2021.

The new service will feature domestic intermodal movements between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Los Angeles, UP officials said in a press release.

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Nov
11

UP to pay pandemic bonus to agreement employees

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 11/11/2020 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
"The pivotal role these essential employees play delivering critical supplies and keeping the economy open cannot be emphasized enough," said UP Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Fritz.Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad yesterday announced agreement employees who worked at least 30 days during the pandemic will receive a one-time $1,000 gross bonus payment in December.

Pending union approval, all current agreement employees — including those furloughed — who worked at least 30 days between March 1 and Nov. 30 will be eligible to receive the bonus. The days worked do not need to be consecutive, UP officials said in a press release.

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