Railroad News

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 12/30/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held recently for the Savage Gulf Rail Facility in San Patricio County, Texas. Photo – up.com

The Savage Gulf Rail Facility, which will be served by Union Pacific Railroad, has opened in San Patricio County, Texas.

The rail yard — which was the site of a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony — was built to support the multibillion-dollar Gulf Coast Growth Ventures plastics plant, a new joint venture between ExxonMobil and chemical manufacturer SABIC.

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 12/7/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad yesterday published its first comprehensive climate action plan outlining its approach to driving climate action and responding to emerging risks affecting the rail industry. The Class I also announced its commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. "As the world takes action to address climate change, Union Pacific is taking thoughtful and deliberate steps to improve our environmental footprint," said Chairman, President and CEO Lance Fritz in a press release. "We experience first-hand the effects of climate change and are urgently working toward our shared sustainable future." In February, UP received approval from the Science Based Targets Initiative for its target to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 26% by 2030 from a 2018 baseline. The approved target aligns with what climate scientists say is needed to meet the Paris Agreement, limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. UP's plan highlights the following steps to reduce GHG emissions: Improve operational efficiency and minimize fuel consumption with a more efficient locomotive fleet and energy management technology; Promote rail as the environmentally preferable surface transportation solution and explore emerging supply chain circularity opportunities; Decarbonize UP's environmental footprint by increasing the use of low-carbon fuels and innovating with alternative propulsion methods and nature-based solutions; and Engage stakeholders and harness Union Pacific's influence to develop and advance rail- and climate-friendly policies. For more details about UP's sustainability plan, click here. 

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 11/24/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Planet Tracks is the first business resource group dedicated to sustainability at a Class I, according to UP Chairman, President and CEO Lance Fritz, shown third from left. Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad has launched a new employee-led business resource group focused on environmental sustainability.

Called "Planet Tracks," the new group is dedicated to "helping employees champion and promote environmental stewardship and sustainability initiatives," UP officials reported in the Class I's Inside Track newsletter.

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 11/19/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad has implemented digital technology company OptRail's new Advanced Movement Planner (AMP) technology on the Class I's CADX system. CADX is the UP’s primary system used by dispatchers to manage train movement across the railroad's 23-state network. AMP provides real-time information that will help identify potential delays or disruptions. In some cases, the AMP may be used to automatically correct potential issues without involving a dispatcher, UP officials said in a press release. The technology is based on a mathematical approach, which, unlike rule-based algorithms, allows flexibility when modeling rail operator goals. Implementation of AMP across the 32,000-mile UP system is expected to be finished by year's end.

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 11/12/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Nearly 20% of Union Pacific employees are veterans, with some still active in the National Guard or Reserves. Photo – up.com

Union Pacific Railroad was named a 2021 Gold Medallion recipient by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (USDOL) HIRE Vets Medallion Program, which advocates for the hiring and support of veterans.

UP has accomplished “exceptional achievement” in recruiting and hiring veterans, USDOL officials said in a press release. UP has hired former military service members since its beginning in the 1860s when it hired Civil War veterans. More than 17% of UP employees have military experience with some still active in the National Guard or Reserves. Veterans represent 24% of new hires within the last five years.