Machinist Juan Gutierrez’s connection to Union Pacific Railroad spans generations, with childhood memories of visiting rail yards during company picnics and bringing his father lunch.
"As kids, we got to see the yards and locomotives,” Gutierrez said. “My dad enjoyed talking about the railroad.”
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His father, John Andrew, and his great-grandfather both worked for Southern Pacific Railroad, which merged with Union Pacific in 1996. Gutierrez, who has been with Union Pacific for 17 years, takes pride in his family legacy.
Gutierrez’s career journey reflects his diverse skill set. He studied auto diesel and refrigeration at technical school, leading to mechanical roles in construction and heavy diesel equipment maintenance. He further honed his skills during six years of active duty in the U.S. Army, maintaining Black Hawk helicopters.
Now, Gutierrez enjoys imparting his knowledge and experiences with his son’s classmates at Moore Elementary School in Houston, Texas.
“I share the knowledge I have as a machinist and welder – things I didn’t know as a kid,” said Gutierrez, part of Union Pacific’s Mechanical team at Houston’s Settegast Locomotive Facility.
During career day, Gutierrez educated students about locomotives, sharing photos of their components and highlighting the importance of safety gear as an early introduction to railroad career opportunities.
Gutierrez also speaks with educators about the railroad’s extensive benefits package, including health insurance coverage and the StockUP Employee Stock Purchase Plan, which includes a 40% company match.
“It’s a resource I can use to save for retirement, buy a vehicle or upgrade my house,” said Gutierrez, noting his railroad paycheck helped him put his kids through college. “We have pride in generations of our family working for the railroad – there’s a lot of opportunity at Union Pacific.”
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