Safety
November 25, 2025
A Clearer View: Union Pacific’s Point Protection Tech is Boosting Visibility
Just as camera-based automotive technology has transformed how people drive and park, Union Pacific is bringing similar innovation to the rails. The railroad’s new point protection technology gives crews a modern, high-tech view of their surroundings – boosting safety, precision and confidence during train movements.
At a yard in Livonia, Louisiana, advanced cameras on locomotives stream high-definition, wide-angle video directly to the crew. The system delivers near, far and 180-degree panoramic views around the knuckle and down both sides of the track – even at crossings.
“It’s a technological leap that blends simplicity with sophistication,” said Brian Partlow, director, Tech. “The new system eliminates potential blind spots caused by a locomotive’s structure, helping crews make safe decisions in real time.”
It also includes safeguards to maintain visibility. The live video feed confirms the cameras are working properly, while built-in latency detection alerts users within a second if there is delayed video.
These cameras are just the beginning. Union Pacific’s innovators are developing next-generation capabilities like machine vision to detect people, vehicles or obstacles on the tracks and automatically trigger a stop if needed. The railroad also is adding collision avoidance systems to locomotives, as well as key rail equipment employees use to repair and replace infrastructure.
“Think of it like lane assist in your car,” said Brenten Starr, general director, Engineering. “It’s an added safeguard that boosts precision to strengthen protection for everyone.”
For Union Pacific, point protection and collision avoidance capabilities represent more than a technological upgrade. They’re a reimagining of how railroads see, sense and respond.
“This is how we move forward,” Partlow said. “We test, we learn, we evolve – and we keep making rail operations safer for our employees, our communities and the customers who rely on us for dependable service.”
Read how Union Pacific’s tech-enabled operations are safely enhancing service for customers.