UP completes rail fastening system project in Oregon

Union Pacific Railroad recently completed a rail fastening system replacement project on eight miles of curved track in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon.

Throughout the curves, the track was secured with a fastening system that includes spikes instead of lag bolts, enhancing defect detectability during rail inspections, UP officials said in a press release.

The Class I has made considerable progress with improving safety, such as by reducing reportable derailments across the network by 35 percent from 2000 to 2015, they said. In Oregon, reportable derailments fell 58 percent during the 15-year period.

"The fastening system replacement reinforces our commitment to rail safety in the Gorge as we strive to improve upon our 99.98 percent hazardous materials safety record and achieve our goal of zero incidents," said Wes Lujan, UP's vice president of public affairs-Western Region.