Union Pacific Railroad Announces $1 Billion Investment in Nebraska Over Next Few Years

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Union Pacific Railroad Announces $1 Billion Investment in Nebraska Over Next Few Years

Area Development Online News Desk (01/23/2012)

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Union Pacific (UP) has announced it plans to inject $1 billion in Nebraska over the next several years as part of new capital investment programs.

Chairman/CEO Jim Young said the monies will be spent on a number of projects across the state, including:

An expansion of capacity at UP’s North Platte rail yard, the largest railroad classification yard in the world, via a $70 million investment.The project will add track and technology upgrades.

An investment of about $220 million in new rail, ties and other work to increase capacity and fluidity on UP's main line--the busiest freight rail transportation corridor in the United States.

An investment of $206 million on new crew change buildings, a bridge over the Elkhorn River, new technology and track so UP to move trains more efficiently and improve service.

Union Pacific Railroad (the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation) links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, and provides freight solutions and logistics expertise to the global supply chain. About 8,000 of the company’s nearly 45,000 employees are in Nebraska, and create a payroll of nearly $1 billion. Union Pacific operates 1,068 miles of track in the state.

"We're proud that Union Pacific has been part of Nebraska for 150 years,” said Young. “[This] announcement of our $1 billion infrastructure investment...renews our commitment to helping stimulate business and job growth in [the state].”

According to U.S. Dept. of Commerce economic models, every dollar invested in freight railroads yields $3 in economic output, and every job in day-to-day operations sustains another 4.5 jobs elsewhere in the economy. Using this model, Union Pacific's $1 billion investment in Nebraska can yield $3 billion in economic output.