Three Class Is make Fortune's list of 'Most Admired' companies

Fortune magazine named Union Pacific Railroad the "Most Admired" company among trucking, transportation and logistics firms for the fourth consecutive year.

The magazine recently released its list of the "World's Most Admired" companies for 2014. The trucking, transportation and logistics category also includes CSX Corp. at No. 2, J.B. Hunt Transport Services at No. 3 and Norfolk Southern Corp. at No. 4.

UP ranked No. 1 in three of nine "reputation attributes" identified by Fortune: people management, financial soundness and long-term investment. The railroad ranked second in social responsibility; third in use of corporate assets, quality of management, quality of products/services and global competitiveness; and fourth in innovation.

"Union Pacific's ranking … reaffirms our commitment to creating value for our 10,000 customers in America and abroad," said UP Chief Executive Officer Jack Koraleski in a press release.

CSX officials attribute the Most Admired ranking to the railroad's core values, which focus on customer satisfaction, employee engagement, a culture of safety, and a commitment to care for the environment and the communities the Class I serves, they said in a press release.

Fortune's research partner, the Hay Group, surveyed more than 3,900 executives, directors and analysts to select the Most Admired companies for 2014 from a list that began with about 1,400 firms. Overall, the magazine ranked Apple No. 1, Amazon No. 2, Google No. 3, BNSF Railway Co. owner Berkshire Hathaway Inc. No. 4, General Electric Co. No. 10 and United Parcel Service No. 32.