Railroad News

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.