Union Pacific Railroad
- For The Railroad Industry Professional

Union Pacific Railroad is North America's largest Class I and the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corp. The railroad operates 32,000 route miles in 23 states serving all major U.S. West Coast and Gulf Coast ports, and connecting with Canada's rail systems via an Eastport gateway in Idaho, and exchange points in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Union Pacific Railroad is the only railroad to serve all six major gateways to Mexico.

Principal officers are Jack Koraleski, president and chief executive officer; Jim Young, chairman; Robert Knight, executive vice president and chief financial officer; Lance Fritz, EVP and chief operating officer; and Eric Butler, EVP of marketing and sales.

Union Pacific Railroad employs more than 45,000 people, serves 25,000 customers and generates annual operating revenue of about $20 billion. From 2000 through 2011, the railroad spent more than $31 billion on its network and operations to help enhance safety, reliability, efficiency and environmental sustainability. Rolling stock includes 8,200 locomotives and more than 74,000 rail cars.

Major classification yards are located in Chicago; Houston and Fort Worth, Texas; Kansas City, Mo.; Livonia, La.; North Little Rock and Pine Bluff, Ark.; North Platte, Neb.; and Roseville and West Colton, Calif. Major intermodal terminals are located in the greater Chicago area; greater Los Angeles area; Dallas and Mesquite, Texas; and Memphis, Tenn.

Union Pacific Railroad's Business Portfolio

The railroad's current traffic mix includes: agricultural products, such as whole and feed grains, fresh and frozen goods, and ethanol; automobiles and auto parts; chemicals, such as fertilizers, soda ash and crude oil; energy cargo, including coal; industrial products, such as steel, pipe, frac sand, military equipment, wind turbine components and lumber; and intermodal freight. Union Pacific Railroad is considered North America's largest auto carrier, the nation's largest hauler of chemicals and one of the largest intermodal carriers.

In 2011, carloads totaled more than 9 million units, and international and domestic intermodal business generated 20 percent of freight revenue. Also in 2011, about 45 percent of shipments to and from Mexico were interchanged with Ferrocarril Mexicano S.A. de C.V., a Mexican Class I that Union Pacific Railroad retains a 26 percent ownership stake in. The remaining 55 percent were interchanged with Kansas City Southern de México S.A. de C.V.

Union Pacific Railroad's primary mission: to help link production and consumption points in the United States and across the world with a network that can deliver the energy, food, raw materials, and durable and consumer goods to support the nations' growth.

On July 1, 2012, the railroad marked its 150th anniversary. On July 1, 1862, Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act, which created the original Union Pacific.

In 2012, Union Pacific Chairman Jim Young received Progressive Railroading's Railroad Innovator Award.

Other Union Pacific Corp. subsidiaries include Insight Network Logistics, PS Technology Inc., Streamline, ShipCarsNow, Transentric and Union Pacific Distribution Services.