UP
“At Union Pacific, our commitment to delivering the service we’ve sold begins with strategic investments in our network infrastructure,” EVP-Marketing and Sales Kenny Rocker told customers in an online railroad status report posted May 28. “We continuously prioritize capital expenditures that enhance our operations, ensuring the reliability and efficiency you expect from us.”
Rocker earlier this year reported that the Class I plans to invest approximately $3.4 billion in its franchise in 2025—“in-line” with last year’s spending.
In his May status report, he said that the UP’s new automated tie unloading “significantly reduces the time and disruption traditionally associated with unloading ties on our main line.” The railroad, he said, replaces 3 million to 4 million ties per year, and “by automating the distribution process with the push of a button, we can now accomplish in just a few hours what used to take several days.” This not only minimizes main line downtime, he pointed out, but also increases growth capacity for customers. (Click here to watch how it works.)
Automation at UP extends beyond track maintenance. “Our Terminal Command Center utilizes advanced technology to provide our frontline leaders with comprehensive visualization and optimization tools,” Rocker told customers. “This aids in train movement recommendations based on real-time main line and terminal conditions. The improved decision-making process has led to enhanced train assembly, car switching and overall terminal efficiency. These advancements drive velocity and generate additional capacity, ensuring we continue to meet your growing needs.”
Rocker also provided UP metrics for the week ending May 23, 2025:
- Freight Car Velocity: 223 miles per day.
- Train Velocity: 19.7 miles per hour.
- Terminal Dwell: 21.0 hours.
Heading into the summer, he said, UP’s weekly service metrics “remain strong.”
Before concluding the report by thanking customers for their business, Rocker invited them to register for a June 2 webinar, Customer-Powered Tech, during which the railroad will share “how our latest customer technology, including AI enhancements and $40 million in safety and security upgrades, is transforming operations.”
In related news, Rocker will be a featured speaker at Railway Age’s eleventh annual Rail Insights, to be held virtually on June 17. This free event brings together industry leadership for frank and penetrating dialogue on the key trends and challenges impacting the rail sector.
NS
As wildfires across the U.S. burn more land than ever, NS is implementing a new prevention method to help prevent them at Brosnan Forest, its 14,400-acre ecological preserve near Charleston, S.C., the Class I reported May 28 in the Story Yard section of its website.
“For decades, controlled burns have been the go-to method for clearing a forest’s excess vegetation, which keeps the ecosystem healthy and prevents wildfires,” NS reported. “But with higher temperatures, lower moisture, and longer growing season, controlled burns are becoming harder to execute.”
To maintain Brosnan Forest, NS is now using silvopasture, “a regenerative land management method that integrates trees, forage, and grazing livestock,” according to the railroad.
NS said its Pineywoods cattle “naturally clear excess brush and vegetation, reducing flammable material on the forest floor,” which allows forest managers to delay prescribed burns for up to two years, “significantly lowering carbon emissions while maintaining a balanced ecosystem.” The cattle also fertilize the land, which prevents the need for fertilizer usage.
The first cattle arrived in January 2023. Today there are 240 Pineywoods with plans for more, according to Joel Wells, who directs operations at Brosnan, NS reported.
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District in California takes a similar approach. Goats are used for brush cutting and lawn maintenance on some portions of its right-of-way prone to trackside fire.
For more information on NS’s sustainability efforts, click here.
