Union Pacific

A leading industry conference in New York about the state of railroads was unusually positive this year.

Outgoing STB Chair Martin Oberman had harsh words for Union Pacific at the RailTrends conference.

Executives with CSX, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern at recent investor conferences listed some of the ways they expect to improve rail service.

On his first earnings call as Union Pacific’s CEO, Jim Vena said his goal for the railway is to “win and be the best in the industry.”

Lower revenues dented Union Pacific’s earnings for the third quarter of 2023.

Union Pacific will be offering intermodal service between two cities in Mexico and the U.S. Southeast.

U.S. intermodal volumes actually grew in September, according to the Association of American Railroads. And with the harvest season in full swing in the fourth quarter, expect rising grain volumes.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Union Pacific in federal court over the dismissal of 21 conductors and locomotive engineers who had failed the railroad’s vision test.

Expanded service offerings, such as a reduction in transit time for the Falcon Premium intermodal service, should help support Union Pacific in the third and fourth quarters, UP leaders said at an investor conference this week.

Union Pacific is asking the Federal Railroad Administration for more details on the safety defects that federal inspectors reportedly found during focused inspections this summer.

Union Pacific plans to respond this week to concerns of Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose that the railroad is being cavalier in ensuring its locomotives are safe.

A decline in rail volumes has led Union Pacific to store locomotives — which in turn has led to furloughs of at least 94 employees, according to a union official.

Union Pacific is seeking to bring operations back to normal at two of its California subdivisions that were hit by Tropical Storm Hilary.

Union Pacific’s Mojave and Yuma subdivisions are out of service due to high waters and mud over the tracks caused by Tropical Storm Hilary; electrical outages at some terminals are also impacting operations.

What will Union Pacific look like once incoming CEO Jim Vena assumes the role later this month? That’s the question industry stakeholders have been wondering.

New sick leave agreements and other deals will increase Union Pacific’s labor costs. Investors on UP’s second-quarter 2023 earnings call wanted to know by how much.

Former Union Pacific and CN executive Jim Vena will be UP’s next CEO, while sustainability and strategy EVP Beth Whited has been promoted to president.

Union Pacific will expand the utility role in Nebraska and Colorado and make it more responsive to train movements.

The Surface Transportation Board will look into whether freight rail operations are affecting the on-time performance of Amtrak’s passenger rail service between New Orleans and Los Angeles.

Union Pacific and the union representing train conductors have reached a sick leave agreement.