OMAHA, Neb. — On July 1, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Pacific Railway Act, which created the Union Pacific Railroad Company and chartered the company and the Central Pacific Railroad Company to link the country together from Omaha to Sacramento. One hundred and forty years later UP has become one of the most recognized corporations in America and continues to build on its rich history.
Dick Davidson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Union Pacific Corporation, said the 140th anniversary is a time to remember the monumental work of the first employees of UP, who, in four years, built the nation’s greatest transportation system one mile at a time.
“Union Pacific began building west from Omaha with 250 workers and a goal of laying two miles of track a day,” said Davidson. “Working seven days a week, 12 to 16 hours a day, the workforce grew to 10,000 and encountered every obstacle possible, from blizzards and drought to mountains and canyons,” said Davidson.
“On May 10, 1869, Union Pacific linked with the Central Pacific at Promontory Summit in Utah to complete the journey. When the golden spike was driven in, government officials in Washington received a telegraph message that simply said ‘Done.’ In reality, our work was just beginning,” said Davidson.
Davidson said Union Pacific has played many key roles in the building of America, moving people and supplies to help build cities and companies. Davidson said one of the railroad’s greatest contributions came during World Wars I and II.
“During the first World War, our focus was moving Allied troops and equipment from the West Coast to the East Coast to fight the war in Europe,” said Davidson. “However, during World War II troops and equipment had to be moved for deployment across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Every day from 1942 to 1945 up to 10,000 servicemen and women came through our North Platte station in Nebraska on their way to winning the war.”
Ike Evans, president and chief operating officer of Union Pacific Railroad, said through mergers, acquisitions and internal growth, Union Pacific has become one of the largest and fastest-growing transportation companies in the United States.
“Just as the first employees in 1862 helped build our country, the 48,000 men and women of today’s Union Pacific continue to make a positive difference in the lives of Americans,” said Evans. “From our initial focus on moving passengers and limited supplies, we now ship food, grain, metals, minerals, chemicals, coal, automobiles and parts, as well as truck trailers and marine containers.”
“As the nation prepares to celebrate our independence, this anniversary is very special to Union Pacific,” said Evans. “Our success starts with our employees, who continue the tradition of those who built this company 140 years ago. We look forward to the future and will continue to play our role in building America.”
Current facts about Union Pacific include:
— 33,586 route miles of track
— 153,272 freight cars
— 6,921 locomotives
— 8.92 million carloads of materials it moves each year
— 48,000 employees
— An average yearly payroll of $2.7 billion
— Annual purchases of $2.9 billion
— Annual revenue of $12 billion
Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP – News) is one of America’s leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, is the largest railroad in North America, covering 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States. A strong focus on quality and a strategically advantageous route structure enable the company to serve customers in critical and fast-growing markets. It is a leading carrier of low-sulfur coal used in electrical power generation and has broad coverage of the large chemical-producing areas along the Gulf Coast. With competitive long-haul routes between all major West Coast ports and eastern gateways, and as the only railroad to serve all six gateways to Mexico, Union Pacific has the premier rail franchise in North America. The Corporation’s trucking operations include Overnite Corporation which owns its less-than-truckload carriers, Overnite Transportation and Motor Cargo.