(The Associated Press circulated the following on January 14, 2010.)
OMAHA, Neb. — Despite last year’s tough economy, Union Pacific says it set company records with the number of intermodal shipments it handled in 2009.
The Omaha-based railroad says it delivered 1.25 million intermodal shipments, which involve large shipping containers.
The containers typically arrive via sea and are transported most of the way by the railroad before crossing the final leg of the trip on a truck.
UP’s previous company record for the number of intermodal shipments was 1.19 million set in 2007.
Union Pacific vice president John Kaiser says the intermodal shipping numbers show that the railroad’s service competes well with trucks. UPS is one of the railroad’s biggest intermodal customers.