Union Pacific issues latest 'Building America Report'

Union Pacific Railroad yesterday released its annual Building America Report, which highlights progress on the railroad's safety and sustainability goals.

One highlight in the 2023 report: UP’s partnership with ZTR that was formed to design, build and test hybrid-electric locomotives. The railroad will test six of the new locomotives, with the first to be deployed for testing next month. The locomotive will operate similarly to a hybrid car, UP officials said in a news release.

The report also states the railroad continued to make headway on its climate action goals and reduced absolute greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG) for Scope 1 and 2 by 19.1% since 2018. In addition, UP worked with the Science Based Targets Initiative to update its target, resulting in a commitment to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 50.4% by 2030 from a 2018 base year.

Moreover, UP committed to reduce Scope 3 absolute emissions from purchased goods and services, capital goods and fuel- and energy-related activities 50.4% by 2030.

"The Building America Report is a comprehensive reflection on our daily drive toward operational excellence, our ongoing commitment to providing the safe, reliable service we promised our customers and our goal to provide meaningful work with best-in-class benefits for employees," said UP CEO Jim Vena.

UP also reported a 15% year-over-year reduction in serious injuries in 2023. The reportable derailment rate declined 6%, and over the past 10 years, track-related derailments declined 28%.