UP
UP’s Pacific Northwest (PNW) team has been awarded the Operating Department’s Safety Bell, the railroad reported Feb. 19. The bell is presented annually to the Transportation service unit with the best overall safety record.
The PNW service unit, which spans nearly 2,500 track miles across four states, attributes its success to “a culture of learning and peer feedback with a focus on continuous improvement,” according to UP.
“PNW’s dedication is why we finished at the top,” said Erik Erickson, General Manager-Transportation, PNW Service Unit, at UP. “We united across crafts to accomplish excellence in safety and operating practices.”
UP reported that several workgroups contributed to the team’s success by achieving injury-free records in 2024, including: Albina, Hinkle, Klamath Falls, Ontario, Salem and The Dalles, Ore.; Huntington, Longview, Seattle, Spokane and Wallula, Wash.; and Nampa and Sandpoint, Idaho.
“This team showcased world-class safety performance,” UP Executive Vice President-Operations Eric Gehringer said. “Their achievement is a testament to the power of collaboration and the commitment of the more than 1,000 railroaders who prioritize safety daily.”
“In the early days, the first safety device leading the way on steam locomotives was the bell,” noted Rod Doerr, Vice President and Chief Safety Officer at UP. “This award exemplifies teamwork and a steadfast resolve toward safety. Much like the bell of old, PNW is leading the way.”
According to UP, the Safety Bell will travel across the service unit throughout 2025 “as a celebratory symbol of collective hard work and dedication.”
UP’s Heartland service unit recently claimed its first Safety Bell.
CSX
CSX has donated $250,000 to Nemours Children’s Health (Nemours) to address the increasing demand for pediatric behavioral health services, the railroad reported via LinkedIn on Feb. 19.
This funding will expand services to reach underinsured children across North Florida, with a particular focus on the underinsured and hard-to-reach families who may not have access to other resources, according to Nemours, a multi-state pediatric health system that includes two freestanding children’s hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices.
The donation benefits the Pediatric Acute Telemental Health program, which provides video visits to North Florida area families with children ages 2-17 for mental health issues including ADHD, behavior problems, depression, and anxiety, Nemours reported.
“We are deeply grateful to CSX for their generous gift to support our telemental health program,” Nemours President and CEO R. Lawrence Moss said. “Mental health challenges are rising among young people, and we want to do everything in our power to get kids the help they need as quickly as possible. This investment will help Nemours support more children across North Florida, particularly those who face barriers to in-person care.”
“CSX is committed to strengthening the communities where we live and work—especially right here in our home of Jacksonville,” said Joe Hinrichs, CSX President and CEO and Railway Age’s 2025 Railroader of the Year. “Partnering with Nemours Children’s Health helps ensure that children and families in our community have the vital resources and access they need for high-quality care when they need it most.”
Separately, CSX was recently named to the America’s Best Large Employers for 2025 list by Forbes and placed on Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list for 2025.
