OMAHA — Union Pacific is increasing its requirements on how intermodal containers and trailers are locked in an effort to deter theft, the company has informed customers. The 1/8-inch cable or bolt seals, required as of Dec. 5, “are designed to prevent entry to the intermodal container or trailer with ordinary seal removal techniques, such […]
Railroad: Union Pacific
Lenox Tower project complete, Illinois DOT announces
MITCHELL, Ill. — A $10.1 million project to reconfigure and modernize rail operations at Lenox Tower, a key rail junction northeast of St. Louis, has been completed, the Illinois Department of Transportation has announced. The joint federal and state project, also funded by Amtrak and freight railroads, was announced more than a year ago […]
Athearn Genesis General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive
General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $259.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $359.99. Add $10 for Primed for Grime models. Era: 1994+ to present (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive features: Trainline and […]
STB gets an earful about KCS-NS Meridian Speedway joint venture
WASHINGTON – Surface Transportation Board members appear skeptical about CSX Transportation’s bid to force its way on to the Kansas City Southern-Norfolk Southern Meridian Speedway. The Meridian Speedway — which runs from Meridian, Miss., to Shreveport, La., — is the shortest, fastest route between the Southeast and Southwest. NS and KCS formed the Meridian Speedway […]
Union Pacific locomotive roster
Union Pacific 2022 locomotive roster Union Pacific 2019 locomotive roster […]
UP, BNSF say CP-KCS merger traffic will melt down Houston terminal
WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern executives say there’s plenty of capacity in Houston to handle the eight additional trains per day they’ll run through the busy terminal within three years after their merger. But Union Pacific and BNSF Railway told federal regulators, in testimony Thursday and Friday, that they have grave concerns […]
UP train in fatal collision hit cars stored on siding since December 2021
WASHINGTON — A Union Pacific train was routed into a siding that had contained stored railcars for nine months when two crew members were killed in an accident earlier this month, according to the preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board. The accident occurred Sept. 8, 2022 at about 2:40 a.m. near Mecca, Calif. […]
HDR gets design contract for UP-led portion of CREATE 80th Street project
CHICAGO — Union Pacific has selected engineering firm HDR to provide final track design and engineering work for the UP-led portion of the 80th Street Junction Replacement project, part of the CREATE program’s larger 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project. HRD will produce design for relocation of two Union Pacific mainline tracks between 80th Street and […]
CP and KCS tout and defend their merger on first day of regulatory hearings
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday’s first day of public hearings regarding their proposed merger, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern sought to blunt criticism of their $31 billion combination by preemptively addressing concerns raised by other Class I railroads, Chicago-area commuter railroad Metra, and lineside communities in the Midwest. Merger opponents — including Metra and communities […]
Machinists’ union reaches second tentative agreement with railroads
WASHINGTON – The machinists’ union has reached a second tentative agreement with Class I railroads, just under two weeks after the rank and file rejected the union’s first tentative deal. “We are pleased to announce that the nation’s freight railroads have reached a tentative agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM),” […]
To avoid next crew crisis, railroads need to broaden their appeal to younger workers
PITTSBURGH – In order to attract, hire, and retain conductors – and avoid crew shortages that snarl operations and hurt service – Class I railroads need to make the job more appealing to today’s workers. That was the consensus of shippers, railroaders, and analysts who spoke at the North East Association of Rail Shippers conference […]
Looming power-plant retirements to put coal traffic back into decline over next five years
NEW YORK – Coal is enjoying a day in the sun amid low stockpiles at power plants and high natural gas prices. Overall railroad coal volumes have improved since the second quarter of 2021 and the trend is expected to continue into next year. But then a wave of coal-fired power plant retirements will put […]