All-Time Record Carloadings Highlight Union Pacific's Improved Service
June 16 2006 - 12:40PM
PR Newswire (US)
Network Management Initiatives and Capacity Investments Drive
Performance OMAHA, Neb., June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the
first time ever outside of peak season, Union Pacific on Thursday
set a new all-time record for carloadings in a seven-day period by
hauling 200,700 railcars for customers across North America's
largest railroad. Prior to this week, the seven-day carloading
record was 198,416 set during peak shipping season on November 23,
2005. "Reaching this record level in June, before the fall peak
shipping season, is an indication of the improving efficiency of
our railroad and the strength of demand for our services," said Jim
Young, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Especially
encouraging is the fact that we handled this record volume with
improved velocity and reduced terminal dwell compared to last
November. This is the result of our network management initiatives
and investment in capacity. While I'm pleased that we are providing
more efficient service to our customers, we remain focused on
driving further improvements." Current Business Group Service and
Volume Highlights Include: * Overall, second quarter volume is up 5
percent through the first ten days of June. * Agricultural Products
volume is up 3 percent. Ethanol growth, Mexico imports, feed and
corn shipments are all running above last year's levels. Union
Pacific is handling a 57 percent increase in ethanol shipments,
fueled by growing demand and continued development of ethanol unit
trains, which provide faster transit times versus normal carload
movement. * Auto volumes are continuing their growth trend from the
first quarter, up 5 percent. Improved multi-level load-to-load
cycle times and improved performance on auto parts resulted in a
record May and the fifth-highest volume month ever. * Chemical
volume trends have improved from a slow start in April and are flat
quarter-to-date. Weaker fertilizer volumes are offsetting strength
in petroleum products, plastics and phosphate rock. Dwell time, a
critical service measure for the chemical business, has improved. *
Energy volumes have turned around significantly from the first
quarter, up about 8 percent, quarter-to-date. May was a record
month for coal shipped from the Southern Powder River Basin, as
well as a record month for loadings originating on the North Fork
Branch in Colorado. That success made May the second-highest month
ever for Union Pacific coal loadings, topped only by March 2005. *
Industrial Products volumes are tracking below the strong trend
seen in the first quarter. In particular, softer lumber and paper
volumes have offset growth in steel and rock shipments. May was the
best month ever for rock carloadings -- 34,442 -- with the southern
Texas rock network leading the way with 28,322 carloads. This tops
the previous southern rock record set in August 2002 and helping to
drive the largest May rock volume since 1996. * Intermodal volumes
remain strong, up 7 percent in the quarter, and new volume records
have been set every month thus far in 2006. Service has improved
for Blue Streak -- Union Pacific's truck-like priority service for
intermodal containers and trailers -- and customers are voting with
their business. Volume for Blue Streak has doubled year-over-year.
Jobs at Union Pacific Currently, Union Pacific has job openings at
many locations throughout its 23-state operating system.
Opportunities are available in train service, skilled disciplines
(e.g., diesel mechanics and electricians) and management.
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit http://www.up.com/
and click on "Jobs at UP." About Union Pacific Union Pacific
Corporation owns one of America's leading transportation companies.
Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, links 23
states in the western two-thirds of the country and serves the
fastest-growing U.S. population centers. Union Pacific's
diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products,
Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial Products and Intermodal.
The railroad offers competitive long-haul routes from all major
West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways. Union Pacific
connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad
serving all six major gateways to Mexico, making it North America's
premier rail franchise. For further information, contact Kathryn
Blackwell (402) 544-3753 or cell (402) 319-4288. This press release
may contain statements about the Corporation's future that are not
statements of historical fact. These statements are, or will be,
forward-looking statements as defined by the Securities Act of 1933
and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements
include, without limitation, information or statements regarding:
expectations as to continued or increasing demand for rail
transportation in excess of supply; expectations regarding
operational improvements, including the effectiveness of network
management initiatives that have been or will be implemented to
improve system velocity, customer service and shareholder returns;
and statements concerning projections, predictions, expectations,
estimates or forecasts as to the Corporation's and its
subsidiaries' business, financial and operational results, and
future economic performance and other similar expressions
concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking
statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance
or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the
times that, or by which, such performance or results will be
achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to
differ materially from those expressed in the statements.
Information regarding risk factors is available in the
Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2005, which was filed
with the SEC on February 24, 2006. The Corporation updates
information regarding risk factors if circumstances require such
updates in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q (or such other reports
that may be filed with the SEC). Forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date the statements were made. The Corporation
assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information to
reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other
factors affecting forward-looking information. If the Corporation
does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference
should be drawn that the Corporation will make additional updates
with respect thereto or with respect to other forward-looking
statements. References to our website are provided for convenience
and, therefore, information on the website is not, and should not
be construed to be, incorporated by reference herein. DATASOURCE:
Union Pacific CONTACT: Kathryn Blackwell of Union Pacific,
+1-402-544-3753, cell, +1-402-319-4288 Web site: http://www.up.com/
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/911275.html
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