HOUSTON — Union Pacific has announced a summer tour for its “We Are One” locomotive commemorating diversity and honoring the work of railroad’s nine Employee Resource Groups in supporting diversity, inclusion, and equality.
The locomotive, previewed by the railroad in May [see “Union Pacific announces locomotive honoring Employee Resource Groups,” Trains News Wire, May 27, 2021], will be formally unveiled Saturday in Houston as part of Juneteenth, the date commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. that has been newly recognized as a federal holiday.
“This locomotive is an opportunity for us to celebrate our shared humanity and embrace our sense of community,” Debbie Schrampfer, the railroad’s assistant vice president, diversity and inclusion, said in a press release. “It is a vibrant reminder that we are stronger together and that every person deserves to be treated equally and with dignity.”
The tour coincides with an effort for UP’s Community Ties Giving Program to reach 100% alignment with diversity, equity, and inclusion goals by 2023.
After its unveiling in Houston, plans are for the “We Are One” locomotive to visit Fort Worth, and San Antonio, Texas; Los Angeles and Roseville, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; North Little Rock, Ark.; Chicago; Ogden, Utah; Denver; North Platte, Neb.; Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo; New Orleans and Shreveport, La; and Omaha, Neb.
Hello. Is there detailed time schedule as to when this lok will be where? The closest for me is St. Louis and I’d like to get a few pics. Thanks.
I heard a rumor that the UP diversity people had a Blue Lives Matter flag/banner taken down in the headquarters because it was deemed to be controversial.
At least the UP symbol on the front of the locomotive has blue and white lines.
Enough already! I don’t give a rats ass about your politics, your sexual preference, religion or lifestyle. I read this column to find out what is going on in the industry and the comments to get other’s thoughts. Lets get back to arguing about PSR or the pros and cons of SD70’s vs GEVO’s. Finally to Mr Riley and Mr Reiter, this hatred and political division goes back long before the last four years. It goes back to at least 2000 if not before.
As a shareholder: UP, stop wasting money on political paint and deliver the best service and return, for all of us.
Mr. Riley et al.,
One, I’ve expressed an objection, not blind hate. Two, I’ve stood with my convictions because they’re based on reason and morals, not emotion, therefore I cannot be written off as a bigot. Three, I’ve tried my best to debate logically, showing I’m not a bully. Four, I’ve not called anyone names. On the other hand, Mr. Stowe is the obvious bully by telling us to shut up and leave him in peace to go train-watching. How our comments affect his train-watching, I’m not sure. Others have drawn the description “bully” by their own actions.
It is the left who has promoted racism to end “racism” through indoctrination, cancelation, and terrorist group activation. Isn’t it common knowledge that two wrongs don’t make a right, and opposites, not the identical, attract? Why, if such racism doesn’t exist, can you buy a prayerbook for Blacks at Target that includes a prayer asking for HATRED toward Whites? That certainly doesn’t follow the Christian principle “LOVE your enemies, do good to those who persecute you” that would hopefully be circulating the reader’s mind. In addition, I and I’m sure many others have experienced much of this racism, which was and is pounded into innocent children’s minds. However, the media doesn’t talk about or hype up racism toward Whites (especially males) because they accept and promote it, like racism toward Blacks was. Do they report every police killing of a White person? Or do White lives NOT matter? It seems so.
What is the worst form of racism? Genocide, right? Eugenics, the controlling of undesirable traits or ethnicities by termination, if necessary, is a form of genocide. This practice was promoted by Margaret Sanger with an intention (maybe not sole) to eliminate the African people group from the face of the earth. Ask yourself why there are so many abortion clinics in the inner cities. Yet the left promotes this despicable practice as a right to be desired. Surprise surprise, the founders of BLM also state support for abortion, whose intents include KILLING the defenseless Black lives that matter. Therefore, the left is the most sly, cunning racist group mankind has seen.
The left has also promoted hatred by, among other things, suggesting hit-lists and payback for those on the right. Please back up your statement about “someone” promoting bigotry and hate. The duty of a leader is to put their country first and warn it of, and protect it from, harm. That’s what most, if not all, other national leaders have done, do, and will do. On the other hand, the new “someone,” the self-pronounced “Americans’ President,” has called those Americans who disagree with him “terrorists.” The other candidate in 2016 called right-wing voters “despicable.”
Under the racism of this “someone,” the unemployment rate of minorities hit the lowest point within the past 30 or more years. Go actually talk to Black Americans and find out if/how they’ve benefited from Trump’s leadership, whether it be a great new job, a scholarship, or anything else. The new occupant of the White House certainly can’t claim such a feat. He’s too busy telling Blacks that they aren’t Black if they vote against him (that’s an insult to their intelligence as humans), not to mention his hobby of stumbling on stairs. That’s something even the Secret Service can’t protect him from, and an embarrassing, unpresidential stunt Trump never attempted. Maybe Trains should report on the train wreck in Washington.
As I have shown, your comment(s) is not that of a civilized debater, but a contrarian and antagonist. Your group insults result from a “gangster and thug mentality,” as the great Rafael Warnock put in so eloquently. Furthermore, your arguments are nothing but the recitation of a script taught in schools and on TV and which has been proven false. By your false statements you have shown, as is common on the left, that your names and labels describe yourself. I do get it, though; why argue using reason when you can argue using emotion? Turns out that emotion will fail while reason will prevail. As shown through these comments, the left only responds to the right with short, emotional retorts that crumble before the facts. They stay hunkered down in the trenches when we have our sights on them, and they only throw a dud grenade every now and then while waiting for the air strike that’ll never come. It’s sad that some just like to be contrary and swim against the current of principles that have sustained mankind for 6,000 years. (that’s based on real, non-political science)
Y’all brought up racism, left vs Trump and the right, etc. so don’t blame me for the digression. We’re fed up with this misinformation and bullying and are putting the wet stuff on the hot stuff, a.k.a. water on the fire, which is creating a lot of smoke and steam. We might’ve turned the other cheek if it hadn’t already been slapped. Freedom of speech must exist on both sides. THAT’S equality.
I haven’t sugar-coated this lengthy response because sugar-coating is for confectioners. You get a feeling of the frustration the right has for seemingly arguing about whether doors or walls are easier to walk through. (Walls)
To the cheerleaders of the minority, I suggest trying out for a bad high school instead of spending time on comment sections.
Finally, ask yourself this: would you die for what you believe? If you wouldn’t, you might want to reconsider your position.
Your morals aren’t worth a tinker’s dam. But you sure are good at bloviating endlessly. No one cares what you think about LGBT people. But if you insult us, we will bite back.
Lengthiness and y’all’s toughness are completely irrelevant. In a way, length indicates veracity.
Who defeated the best army and navy in the world for this country’s independence? Who stormed the blood-soaked beaches of Normandy and Iwo Jima? Who’s the majority in our military? Macho straight men. No one questions who’s tougher. Those soldiers face(d) bullets and death, while drag queens face children and the media. You owe a HUGE apology for your disrespect to our brave servicemen and women, some of whom are railfans too and may be reading these comments. You and the left play all the wrong cards.
Worthless morals, eh? God’s existence is scientifically and philosophically demonstrable, more demonstrable than your own. (so and so) and his lifestyle can be fabricated on the internet, unlike empirical science and concrete reason. God, not I, has established morals, just like the laws of science and nature, for us to study and abide by. For these same “worthless” morals, 16 million+ Christian men and women died indescribably horrific deaths between AD 64 and 257. That’s the same death toll as at least 40 COVID pandemics, not counting thousands more over the last two millennia. Morals are obviously more precious than their sea of blood, but you have the guts to say they aren’t worth “a tinker’s dam?”
These same morals helped nations out of the Dark Ages, brought on by the Western Roman Empire’s complete moral collapse and subsequent destruction. They preserved humanity by instructing people what marriage is for and therefore whom they should marry. Certainly, fraternal love of members of either sex is mandated, but marriage and related acts are for the propagation of the human race only. If I can marry because of “love,” then why can’t I marry a dog or my iPhone?
As predicted, your comments aren’t worth a “tinker’s dam,” because, quite frankly, you have no defense, nor care enough to make one. You can only bite back like a trapped wolf at an armed man. Why? Because God’s not on your side.
I’m sure Trains would like this discussion to end, so please refrain from posting any more purely insulting, irrelevant, illogical quibble. But you do have the right to, if you feel compelled.
Well said Maynard and Galen!
Well since there not saying exactly when and where the Engine will be on display then it sounds like it will be in the Rail Yards for Employee Viewing like they did with the Employee Pride unit 1111 and George HW Bush and Spirit units. UP has several Yards in the LA area so it could be anywhere in LA but I think it’s most likely to be West Colton. Plus I like that they made it an SD70M instead of another ACe although I am a fan of both models.
I do agree, the SD70M was a good idea.
Kudos Mr. Stowe! Sadly the last four years has now made hate, bigotry, bullying & name calling legitimate behavior to some especially when it is endorsed by someone who should be contrary to such behavior.
Sadly this is what has happened over the last 4 years. Too bad some can’t keep their homophobic comments in their own closet.
As was said so well by Rodney King, “Can’t We Just Get Along”!
Gee if I’m a liberal does that mean I can’t be a rail fan? I would rather see you all keep your right wing trash to yourself while I can peacefully go on train watching.
Gary, it would be BNSF all the way. They’re focused on serving customers, not acting for the media.
Maynard, thank you for your input. I would change your “if” to “since.”
We never said you can’t be a railfan if you’re a liberal. However, we still live in America last time I checked, and under the First Amendment everyone, and a few folks on the right, are guaranteed freedom of speech without interference from the government, a spirit that should and for the most part has always dwelled in every aspect of American life. So please, if you can find it in the landfill, present the left side of the argument instead of just posting quibble.
In addition, our comments in no way affect your ability to go train-watching, for that isn’t an activity available on Train.com, nor does it even affect your ability to read their articles, for reading the comments is your own choice.
Well said Maynard.
Jonathan, I couldn’t have said it better myself. People have had enough of the PC-Woke-Cancel Culture garbage and now U.P. does this? I wonder how many of their customers will be put off by this garbage; if I was one of their shippers I sure would be and I would let them know. I would also let them know who my new shipper would be. This locomotive is disgusting.
Guessing none of their shippers could give two beeps what UP’s paint their livery in like you do nor your disgusting comment.
I like new paint schemes, but this is a step out of line.
This is a celebration of sodomy (among other problems), named for Sodom, which was utterly destroyed with Gomorrah. It’s current location is suspected to be the lowest and most uninhabitable sea in the world.
If folks want to live a certain lifestyle, that’s their problem, and it will have consequences. By why does this sore have to be shoved in our faces constantly? If everyone’s chill with it, there’s no reason to push it, but if the vast majority are against it, let. it. die.
Do these organizations/people not fall under UP’s “Powered by Our People?”
Lately, companies have become way too political, and it needs to stop now.
Thank you Trains for reporting this; folks now know which locomotives to spit their tobaccie at.
I agree! Union Pacific has more things to worry about like having thousands of employees at home not working because the company is cutting positions and whole crews. Yet their still making record breaking numbers financially.
Wow. That’s amazingly insulting to those of us who are gay and also rail fans. We do exist.
So maybe keep your bigotry to yourself. It’s ugly, unnecessary and insulting. All the gay guys I know, particularly the drag queens, are tougher than any of you macho straight men.
UP needs to stick to railroading. Adding virtue signaling to their repertoire won’t get freight cars to their customers on time.