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Recent Developments
Today’s Union Pacific bears little resemblance to the railroad that built the transcontinental route. Environmentally friendly diesel locomotives have replaced steam engines; in many places cement ties now bind the rails instead of wood; and computers wirelessly communicate from locomotive cabs to the railroad’s Harriman Dispatching Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
At the Harriman Dispatching Center, Union Pacific traffic control operators utilize the railroad’s massive computer network to manage the daily movement of 2,500 trains. That same computer network provides real-time information about shipments that customers can access via the Internet.
Union Pacific’s high-tech fleet of locomotives includes many equipped with computerized cabs and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to pinpoint locomotives’ locations and accurately estimate times of arrival for shipments.
In rail yards, portable locomotive control technology enables operators on the ground to control locomotives with handheld devices that send digital signals directly to onboard computers. For over-the-road, heavy-tonnage operations, distributed power technology allows engineers on a train’s front end to direct radio-controlled locomotives placed in the middle or back end, resulting in greater pulling power up steep grades or for hauling additional rail cars.
Union Pacific is an industry leader in technologies that constantly monitor the reliability of equipment and track, enhancing safety for employees and the public. Web-based applications speed customer transactions, including voice recognition for ordering or releasing rail cars. What’s more, an automated manifest system at Canadian and Mexican border gateways enables U.S. customs to electronically review documentation from brokers and carriers before rail cars reach the border. |
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