SANTA MARIA, Calif. — A section of Union Pacific’s Coast Line that connects the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles remains closed to freight and passenger service following a series of winter storms that pummeled the Golden State during the first two weeks of January. Union Pacific crews are currently working to stabilize a […]
Railroad: Union Pacific
Union Pacific route through Feather River Canyon closed by derailment
One locomotive and seven cars of a Union Pacific train derailed in the Feather River Canyon in California’s Plumas County on Saturday night because of a landslide, Plumas News reports. The crew was rescued, a Union Pacific spokesman told the news site, but work continues to clear the derailed cars. The remote location of the […]
Arizona man sentenced for phone threats to UP headquarters, other sites in Omaha
OMAHA, Neb. — A 42-year-old Arizona man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for calling in threats to Union Pacific headquarters and other Omaha locations in April 2021. The Omaha World-Herald reports Andrew Isaac Abrams of Tucson was sentenced for transmitting threats through interstate commerce on Friday, Jan. 13, according to a […]
EGR and SCR locomotive systems: What do they mean?
EGR and SCR locomotive systems EGR and SCR locomotive systems are just two ways locomotives meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission regulations, specifically Tier 4, standards implemented for new locomotives built for service in the United States. The emission regulations are designed to reduce the amount of nitrous oxide, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide […]
U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear case over UP employment in Palestine, Texas
PALESTINE, Texas — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a lower-court ruling that Union Pacific is no longer bound by an agreement requiring it to maintain a certain number of employees in the city of Palestine, which dates to an 1872 contract with one of the railroad’s predecessors. The railroad filed suit in […]
Modeling Amtrak’s “rainbow” fleet
What is Amtrak’s “rainbow” fleet? Amtrak began operations on May 1, 1971, and at the time had only one piece of equipment sporting Amtrak’s first logo, E8 No. 4316. This engine is currently offered by Rapido. All of the passenger equipment came from the railroads that joined to form Amtrak, including over 400 from the […]
Union Pacific has lost its way: Analysis
It’s fitting that Union Pacific’s logo is a shield. The beleaguered railroad needs one given the barrage of arrows coming its way. UP has a long list of problems, many of them self-inflicted as a predictable result of its pursuit of a 55% operating ratio. There are so many issues confronting UP that it’s hard […]
Appeals court hears UP engineer’s case regarding service dog
ST. LOUIS — A U.S. appeals court appears to have concerns about reviving an effort by a Union Pacific engineer to bring his service dog to work, Reuters reports. Perry Hopman originally won the right to bring the dog to work to help prevent migraines and anxiety caused by his military service in a jury […]
Los Angeles or Denver?
Union Pacific E3A No. 5-M-1A and E3B No. 5-M-1B were bought – and lettered for – the road’s City of Los Angeles streamliner. However, on this July 1941 day they are at Denver, departing with the Pony Express. R. H. Kindig photo […]
Work begins on Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985
SILVIS, Ill. – Railroading Heritage of Midwest America crews have taken the first steps toward returning Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985 to operation this week by stripping parts off the 4-6-6-4. Today crews lifted the cab off the locomotive. “RRHMA crews have been making good progress all week striping down [No.] 3985,” says Steve […]
Union Pacific continues to develop tie unloading system
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Ties are a big topic at the annual NRC Conference — just about every railroad mentions how many ties it will replace in the coming year —so it makes sense that Shane Keller, Union Pacific’s vice president of engineering, wanted to highlight UP’s effort to improve the tie-replacement process. Keller was […]
Railroads ask federal courts to toss new STB rules for settling rate disputes
WASHINGTON – Railroads have filed suit against the Surface Transportation Board’s new rules that are designed to streamline the settlement of rate disputes with shippers. Last month the STB established two new rate reasonableness procedures, including a voluntary arbitration program and a new process called Final Offer Rate Review. Shippers applauded the move, while the […]