2016 Archive
Community 12122016
A Christmas Tree's Journey
Twinkling lights cast a festive glow as wet, fluffy snowflakes – the kind begging to be turned into a snowman – flutter to the ground. Inside, the fire is crackling, glasses are filled with egg nog and children plead to open “just one gift,” as they anticipate Santa’s arrival. It’s a scene often captured in Thomas Kinkade paintings and in countless movies. At the heart of each good old fashioned family celebration is the Christmas tree.
Safety 12082016
Selfie Tragedy Forever Impacts Those Left Behind
Essa Ricker and Kelsea Webster, both 15, and Kelsea’s little sister, Savannah, waved at a westbound train crew and squeezed in for a selfie as it rolled through Utah’s scenic Spanish Fork Canyon October 2011.
Innovation 11212016
California Dreamin': New Locomotives Take Clean Air Tech from Theory to Reality
Driving along California's scenic I-5 corridor, there's a good chance you'll see a whole new breed of locomotive pulling heavy freight along Union Pacific's main rail line.
Heritage 10122016
Steam Update: No. 844 Readies for 'Trek to Tennessee'
October has been a busy month for the Union Pacific steam team. With ultrasonic testing underway on locomotive No. 4014's boiler, locomotive No. 844's "Trek to Tennessee" also is on the horizon.
Community 10072016
Blind Ambition: Colorado Center Builds Confidence in Disabled
Meet Matt Wallace. An avid rock climber and a decent skier, Wallace graduated from Temple University last May with a bachelor's degree in journalism. The 25-year-old go-getter is optimistic about an upcoming job interview. Later this month he's looking forward to moving out of his parents' house to live with a roommate.
Default 09192016
Feeding the Stone-Starved Beast
Building and maintaining highways, office buildings and schools is a constant cycle; one that is imperative for thriving communities. But many are stone-starved, and quality rock used to make concrete is mined hundreds of miles away. That's where we come in.
Real Railroaders 09072016
Diversity and Inclusion Emphasized at Union Pacific's First Annual Employee Resource Group Conference
Sherrye Hutcherson says her mom used to tell her, "If you have a bunch of people who think alike, all you need is one of them." It's a message she took to heart. When Hutcherson, Union Pacific's vice president - Human Resources, started her railroad career as a corporate auditor 23 years ago, she was one of two African Americans in her audit class.
Safety 08312016
Union Pacific Hosts National Suicide Prevention Summit
Of the 32 people who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived, eight are able to talk about it. Journalists always ask: What went through your mind when you were falling? Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, CEO and co-founder of the Carson J. Spencer Foundation, says their answers always reflect a moment of instant clarity.
Heritage 08112016
Steam Update: Big Boy No. 4014 Restoration Begins
With the successful restoration of locomotive No. 844 in the books, the Union Pacific Steam Team has embarked on their next giant-sized challenge: restoring the Big Boy, locomotive No. 4014.
Heritage 07132016
Locomotive No. 844 Makes First Return Journey
The Union Pacific Steam Team completed a 60-mph, all-systems check of the No. 844 steam locomotive July 12, marking the icon’s return to the main line after a three-year absence.
Community 07072016
Healing from Horseback: HETRA Provides Hope
Ethan Falk can’t move his arms or legs, but that doesn’t stop the 13-year-old from riding horses.
Heritage 06232016
With Testing Under Way, No. 844 Prepares for Frontier Days Debut
UP’s Living Legend No. 844 continues to pass its exams as it readies for its big return to service at Cheyenne Frontier Days July 23. No. 844’s engine was successfully test fired June 16, and a full steam test was completed on June 17.
Community 06142016
Striking a Balance on the Great Salt Lake
At first glance, the Great Salt Lake looks like any other lake. Nestled below the Wasatch Mountains, its serene blue-green water attracts flocks of hungry seagulls. It's not until you get a bird's-eye view that the lake's most unique characteristic is revealed: The north side isn't blue-green at all, it's an eerie, otherworldly pink.
Community 06012016
Union Pacific Transports Emergency Response Equipment to Xalapa, Mexico
In a few weeks, four much needed ambulances will begin their journey to Xalapa, Mexico, in specially modified uni-level rail cars.
Community 05172016
Burn Institute Heals Children's Unseen Scars
The children who attend the Burn Institute’s “Camp Beyond the Scars” in the foothills of San Diego County, California, consider things that would never cross the average teenager’s mind.
Default 05132016
Port of Tucson Improvements Support Business Growth
Officials from the Federal Railroad Administration, Pima County Arizona, the Port of Tucson and Union Pacific were among those who celebrated the completion of a $5 million expansion of the Port of Tucson's rail infrastructure and container export facility May 12.
Heritage 05112016
Locomotive No. 844 Scheduled for Frontier Days Debut
After a 2-year absence, the Living Legend No. 844 returns to service July 23 for the 2016 Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days train trip.
Community 04272016
Students Give 'Edge' to Fuel-Saving Idea
It’s a cool spring morning. The mist is steady and fog snakes through Brigham Young University’s campus, hiding all but a few peaks of the nearby Wasatch Mountains. With heads down, students rush between stately brick buildings, on their way to another round of finals.
Heritage 04182016
Steam Update: Preparing for Boiler Testing
Big news! The Union Pacific steam team has begun prepping locomotive No. 844's boiler for one of several hydrostatic inspections.
Safety 04112016
Union Pacific Special Agents: The Badges Behind the Shield
As Union Pacific Special Agent Kevin Wells strides through the dusty San Antonio heat, he peers through shadows cast by two empty box cars.
Heritage 02262016
Steam Update: Putting the Brakes on a Living Legend
We're putting the brakes on our steam locomotives!
Community 02122016
WWII Museum Protects Legacy of Those Who Served
For those too young to know the true cost of war, The National WWII Museum is a place to experience the unsettling sights and sounds all too familiar to those who lived through it.
Community 02022016
Patriot Award Honors Employers of Those Who Serve
They call them citizen soldiers. The term goes back to when the National Guard was first formed as an essential element of the U.S. military, to protect families and towns from hostile attacks. Today, the National Guard plays an even broader role in protecting our country. But what helps make the Guard work is the ability for these citizen soldiers to live and work in our communities until service calls.
Heritage 01192016
Steam Update: No Swimsuits Required
Have you ever held a cast iron skillet? It’s hard to imagine repairing or replacing something made out of such heavy, durable material. However, after more than 70 years of wear and tear on locomotive No. 844’s turret valves made of an even stronger metal – cast steel – the Union Pacific steam team is doing just that.
Innovation 01072016
Sacramento Rail Yard Cleanup Clears Way for Economic Revitalization
For Jim Levy, the Sacramento Rail Yard is like a piece of gum that’s been stuck to the bottom of his shoe for 26 years. That’s how the Union Pacific director of environmental management characterized working on remediating the 240-acre section of land just north of downtown Sacramento.