At Union Pacific, we have a pledge: We will all go home safe.
Clint Schelbitzki, Assistant Vice President, Public Affairs
That commitment extends beyond our team to the customers and communities we serve – including the city of Houston, where we have operated for over 100 years.
As one of the more than 1,500 Union Pacific employees who call Houston home, I take this pledge seriously. It’s why I am proud to help launch TrackSafe Houston – a unified initiative designed to strengthen rail safety through communication, collaboration and investment.
This effort brings together our long-standing safety programs under one clear purpose: making Houston safe for everyone. From crossing enhancements to emergency response coordination and public education, TrackSafe Houston is both a commitment and a call to action rooted in partnership and purpose.
Freight rail remains essential to Houston’s future, powering economic growth, connecting industries and moving the goods that fuel our everyday lives. Over the last decade, Union Pacific has invested more than $1 billion in the Houston area. We recently authorized additional funding to modernize infrastructure that will enhance regional operations, add rail capacity to support the growing economy and improve fluidity at our Englewood Yard – where 3,000 rail cars move daily. This yard is a critical hub in Houston’s – and the entire nation’s – supply chain.
Through TrackSafe Houston, we also are investing in people and partnerships. Our UP Cares program, for example, works with schools, law enforcement and community organizations to promote safe behavior around tracks. This includes education about the dangers of distracted driving near rail crossings, where looking down at a phone for just a few seconds can significantly increase risks to both drivers and train operations.
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When I meet with community groups and schools, I see firsthand the importance of awareness and education around putting safety first. We are developing seasonal safety campaigns and distributing rail safety materials that are accessible, age-appropriate and designed to reach those who live and work closest to the tracks. This week, we launched bilingual billboards featuring rail safety messaging at key locations along our tracks near Houston schools and worksites.
We know infrastructure and education must be complemented with foundational enhancements. Many lasting structures – like overpasses, pedestrian bridges and reconfigured crossings – require public-private coordination and shared investment. We support proposals like the $250 million state grant program recently passed by the Texas Legislature and plan to work hand-in-hand with city, state and federal leaders to make infrastructure improvements a reality.
Just as importantly, TrackSafe Houston will open new channels for community voices to help shape a path forward. We are expanding our outreach, listening to local stakeholder priorities and creating more opportunities for residents to ask questions, express concerns and stay informed. I encourage you to do your part by sharing rail safety messaging – including this article – with friends and family on social media.
TrackSafe Houston is a more visible, collaborative and community-rooted approach to rail safety. We are not waiting for change – we are building it. Because when we work together, we create a safer future for everyone.
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