OMAHA, Neb. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection will allow the Eagle Pass, Texas, railroad gateway to reopen at midnight tonight after a visit by a delegation of Union Pacific executives led by CEO Jim Vena.
The bridge linking Eagle Pass with Ferromex at Piedras Negras, Mexico, has been closed since Wednesday due to the influx of thousands of migrants crossing the border. U.S. officials shut the bridge down two days after Ferromex suspended northbound traffic for safety reasons following the deaths and serious injuries to several migrants who attempted to hop freight trains to the U.S. border.
The shutdown brought rail traffic to a standstill at the second-busiest gateway to Mexico. Eagle Pass handled a total of 16 UP and BNSF Railway trains per day in August, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Vena, UP President Beth Whited, Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hamann, and leaders from the corporate relations, marketing and sales, and operations teams visited Eagle Pass to see the migrant crisis firsthand, understand its impact, and identify ways to resume operations, UP said.
Two dozen trains with 2,400 cars total were being held north and south of the border, UP said. Commodities held up included agricultural, food, and beverages; finished vehicles; consumer goods; and industrial products, UP said.
“Seeing and hearing the depth of this humanitarian crisis firsthand – versus watching from thousands of miles away – was sobering,” UP said. “When they arrived at the border crossing rail bridge, the team witnessed a family of three attempting to cross. The mother had a small baby in her arms and fell into the razor wire, and a man was swimming across the river with a child on his back – the scene was heartbreaking to witness.”
After leaving the bridge, railroad officials met with more than 20 stakeholders and first responders, including Mayor Rolando Salinas, Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, CBP interim port director Pete Beattie, the assistant fire chief, police chief, border patrol, and several members of their teams.
“The gravity of the humanitarian crisis is beyond any one community or company,” UP said. “This complex crisis requires significant intervention and support from policymakers in Washington, D.C.”
UP donated $100,000 to the mayor of Eagle Pass to use as he sees fit to address the complex and significant issues the city of 28,000 is facing with thousands of migrants crossing the Rio Grande every day this week.
Railroad officials, including Vena, are contacting members of Congress and the Biden Administration today and over the weekend to underscore the impact of the migrant crisis on UP operations and the economy.
Thanks for that Jay. Glad to have you point out Charles, et als hatred and lack of caring.
Our local rag (paper) said two people killed trying to board a moving train in Mexico (in their 20’s)
I wonder if the UP will help their families?
No. not their problem. But they might be able to influence Ferromex to help them…
“The gravity of the humanitarian crisis is beyond any one community or company,” UP said. “This complex crisis requires significant intervention and support from policymakers in Washington, D.C.”
Don’t expect the Biden administration to do anything. They only look at those crossing the border as potential voters, not people to be cared for.The day we get a president with the will and cojones to solve the emigration problem will be a great day in the history of our country. In the meantime they are just pawns in an unfettered cultural war.
I say let them come if they can; Legally and through the proper immigration gateways and according to the rule of law. That would take the money out of the Coyote’s hands and let the people who have sponsors immigrate legally and with a hope of a peaceful life.
So is the UP plan to pay for all those injured trying to board the trains in Mexico?
I wonder how long it took and how much it cost to clear the area for the photos.
I wonder if they observed the thousands of well dressed young people headed for all the free stuff.
I suppose Vena can let them board the trains on the US side and help them get to sanctuary cities easier.
$100,000 should help with hardly anything what with the thousands crossing daily.
fake news story made up by Fox news, believe Biden the border is effectively closed. The constant parade is computer generated according to are friggen leaders.
Where did all the immigrants in New York, Chicago and other cities come from. I doubt the Democratic mayors of these cities are cooperating with Fox to create the news on ABC, CBS, NBC and their cries for help from the feds.
Mr. Fine forgot to add that the images of the UP CEO, President, and CFO are obviously photoshopped. They never left Omaha.
TRAINS forgot the images of dead children on the trek from Guatemala through Mexico to the US border, or the starving families wandering streets all over America with no place to go and no medical care.
Biden throws hundreds of miles of the border wide open but restricts a railroad crossing. This man has the cognitive ability of brain-damaged gerbil, but completely lacks the gerbil’s moral compass.
Charles, between you and Howard, the amount of abject stupidity exhibited here is rivaled only by the hate in each of your posts. I’m sure that there are plenty of other forums which you two can spout your bile; go there and leave this forum for discussions of railroads and their operations.
Don ‘t blame Charles for telling a colorful truth. Most the poliicans in Washington, D.C. “have the cognitive ability of brain-damaged gerbil, but completely lacks the gerbil’s moral compass.”: