With eye on intermodal, railroads invest in autonomous trucking company

White semi-truck with trailer on a major highway under cloudless skies.

Two Class I railroads were among the companies to invest in the latest round of funding for one of the startup companies that is developing self-driving trucks. Online technology publication TechCrunch has reported that Union Pacific and Canadian National both were among the investors in a $350 million round of funding for TuSimple. CN declined […]

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Union Pacific CEO says Precision Scheduled Railroading will unleash volume growth

UP_Wyoming_Stephens

OMAHA, Neb. — Major operational changes that have reduced Union Pacific’s costs are helping the railroad land new merchandise traffic, CEO Lance Fritz told an investor conference this week. Precision Scheduled Railroading is now “building into our DNA, into our culture” and will continue once outgoing Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena hands the reins to Senior […]

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Digest: UP opens new Twin Cities intermodal terminal, will launch service to LA

Union Pacific logo

Friday afternoon rail freight and logistics news: UP opens Minneapolis intermodal terminal, will launch service to LA Union Pacific will begin offering intermodal service to Minneapolis-St. Paul in January 2021 following today’s opening of its Twin Cities Intermodal Terminal in Minneapolis. The new service will feature domestic intermodal service between the Twin Cities and Los […]

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UP temporarily activates idled eastbound hump in North Platte, Neb.

Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard

MAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has temporarily resumed operations over the idled east hump at Bailey Yard in North Platte, Neb., while it makes improvements that will make switching more efficient. The hump — one of two at the world’s largest classification yard — was idled in September. “We’ve temporarily backed off having the one hump […]

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Modeler’s Spotlight Video – Inside Cody’s Office for November Part 1

Cody's Office November 2020 Part 1

Get your canned meats here! Cody’s Office has an Atlas O 36-foot double-sheathed refrigerator car decorated for Rex Canned Meats, an Athearn Genesis HO scale Union Pacific class CA-8 caboose, and the latest special issue from Model Railroader all about our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout. There’s also a modeling tip and viewer mail! […]

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Modeler’s Spotlight Video – Inside Cody’s Office for November Part 1

Cody's Office November 2020 Part 1

Get your canned meats here! Cody’s Office has an Atlas O 36-foot double-sheathed refrigerator car decorated for Rex Canned Meats, an Athearn Genesis HO scale Union Pacific class CA-8 caboose, and the latest special issue from Model Railroader all about our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout. There’s also a modeling tip and viewer mail! […]

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Digest: Union Pacific to pay $1,000 bonus to union employees who worked during pandemic

freight train

More Tuesday morning rail news:

 UP announces bonus for union employees who have worked during pandemic
 Union Pacific will pay a one-time $1,000 bonus to its union employees who have worked at least 30 days during the COVID-19 pandemic, the railroad has announced. “While many fellow citizens were sheltering in place, our craft professionals rolled […]

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Analysts say UP’s Vena may seek CEO position at a Class I railroad

Man in coat and tie

OMAHA, Neb. — Outgoing Union Pacific Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena, who accelerated Precision Scheduled Railroading operational changes across the system, will not rule out popping up at another Class I railroad. Vena was asked last week about his plans once his stint is up at UP, which the Canadian National veteran joined in January […]

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Union Pacific posts record operating ratio despite traffic, revenue declines

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific’s third-quarter revenue and earnings declined, but cost-cutting and efficiency gains — particularly from running longer trains — helped the railroad produce a new record-low operating ratio. Operating income fell 9%, to $2 billion, as revenue declined 11%, to $4.9 billion, UP announced on Thursday morning. Earnings per share declined 9%, to $2.01. […]

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Union Pacific COO Vena to become senior advisor; Gehringer to lead operations

Man in coat and tie

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena will move to a role as senior advisor as of Jan. 1, 2021, with Eric Gehringer succeeding Vena as executive vice president-operations. Vena, 62, joined Union Pacific in January 2019, overseeing all aspects of operations including the railroad’s transition to its version of precision scheduled […]

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