Service
February 17, 2026
Union Pacific Engineering Team Delivers Arizona Rail Upgrade Safely and On Schedule
Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena knows the best way to run the railroad is being present in the field and connecting firsthand with the people behind the work. He recently joined Engineering Rail Gang 9001 near Aztec, Arizona, southwest of Phoenix, as they completed a major rail replacement project tied to Union Pacific’s $3.3 billion infrastructure investment planned for 2026.
Rail Gang 9001 – one of six systemwide groups responsible for yard and main line rail work – operated safely and efficiently throughout the project. The team installed eight miles of new rail in 16 days while keeping customer freight moving. The crew also recently reached a major safety milestone: eight years injury free.
“Eight years without an injury says a lot about this team,” said Jason Steiner, system assistant foreperson. “It’s not just about rules – it’s about discipline, communication and watching out for each other. We’re professionals, and this record proves we act like it.”
The work required 24 pieces of heavy equipment to remove old rail, mill down the ties, install new tie plates and lay new rail, followed by spiking and anchoring to finish the job. With cool winter weather at play, Rail Gang 9001 used a rail-heating process to bring the steel to its neutral temperature during installation.
Vena visited the site as the team installed its last 8,890 feet to complete the project, during which he met several members of the system rail gang – including three fathers who have the unique opportunity to work alongside their sons on the same crew.
Among them: Steiner and his sons Braxton, spike driver operator, and Waylon, trainee; Stan Montano, flagging foreperson, and his son, Stan Jr., anchor applicator; as well as Rail Equipment Operators David Begay and his son, Lionel.
“I was proud to tell Jim that both of my sons are on this gang with me,” Steiner said. “He shared a story about his father helping him get his start on the railroad, throwing plates as a 16-year-old kid. That stuck with me — it shows he understands where a lot of us come from.”