Flood Planning and Recovery
Flood Resources
- For current news impacting our rail network, view Customer News now.
- Review our current embargoes to see if your area is impacted.
Union Pacific has established the following best practices to follow during flooding events.
Be Prepared
- Ensure key headquarters and plant personnel are registered with a MyUPRR user ID and password. This will allow access to open a case in Case Management and enables sign-up for important Union Pacific notifications. Register for a MyUPRR user ID and password now.
- Once set up with a MyUPRR user ID and password, sign up for Marketing Notifications > Customer News notifications to receive flood updates by email.
Manage En Routes
- Divert inbound flow of cars via the Diversion application. Request a Diversion now (user ID and password required).
- Re-bill inbound Rail Security Sensitive Material cars (Toxic Inhalation Hazard, Poison Inhalation Hazard) away from storm reach via the Diversion application. Request a Diversion now (user ID and password required).
Notify Union Pacific
To provide Union Pacific information on your facility operations, open a case in Case Management (user ID and password required). Select Create a Case in the Get Help box (without an equipment, train or car order) and select Facility Status Updates as the case reason. Please include the information outlined below in the Description Field.
- The timetable for ceasing plant operations.
- Damage or tracks out of service.
- Estimated facility repair time.
- Resumption of operations.
- Request for service when repairs complete.
Additionally, notify the Flood Team of special requirements, including unit train and special switch requirements by opening a case in Case Management (user ID and password required). Please choose Special Requests as your case reason and choose either Request Special Switch or Request Special Train as the corresponding sub-reason.
Follow Required Rail Car Inspection Process
AAR Interchange Rules - Rail Car Repairs
In accordance with AAR Interchange Rules, customers who are subscribers to the rules are responsible for any damage, including flood damage, occurring to cars in their control or possession. This includes cars that Union Pacific has delivered to a customer’s private track or facility.
❯*Per Rule A 2. — All interchange freight car owners must subscribe to the AAR Interchange Rules.
❯* Per AAR Rule 99 — Customers who are not subscribers to the AAR Interchange Rules are responsible for the actual cost of repairs to cars damaged, including by flood, while in their control or possession (including cars delivered to a customer’s private track or facility).
* Field Manual of the AAR Interchange Rules
In accordance with AAR Interchange Rules, rail cars damaged from flooding must go through a joint inspection with a Union Pacific Mechanical Representative at the customer industry, car owner is optional.
If you suspect or see the minimum water level has reached the “RED” line (see photo), take the following actions:
- Report to Union Pacific all rail cars and location, including private, system and foreign-owned equipment.
- Do not move rail cars until released by the Union Pacific Mechanical Department.
- Report impacted rail cars by opening a case in Case Management (user ID and password required) and choose Issue Not Listed as the case reason.
Schedule a Rail Car Inspection
To schedule an inspection, customer industry must schedule the inspection with a Union Pacific Mechanical Representative assigned to the car location area.
Kansas & Western Missouri
Andrew Letcher
816-599-1935
send email
Eastern Missouri & St. Louis Area
Greg Evans
224-500-1644
send email
Northern California
Cole Dishman
916-202-8356
send email
Updated April 2024