Union Pacific named Railroad of the Year

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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Union Pacific

Union Pacific Railroad has been awarded the title of Railroad of the Year by the Railway Industrial Clearance Association (RICA), adding to the railroad’s list of more than a dozen awards in 2016.

 

The railroad said such recognition is given based on peer voting and often focuses on strengths in areas such as customer service and technological advances.

The industry association chose to the Class 1 primarily due to the railroad’s creation and application of PS Technology (PST) software called iClear, officials say. PST is a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Pacific Corporation.

iClear allows users to assess routes for oversized loads quickly without waiting for clearance to be confirmed manually, which can reduce delays and improve the customer experience.

Using automatic 3D modeling, iClear creates loaded rail car geometry and rail network information to locate any obstructions, identify viable routes and provide meet-pass location mapping. Union Pacific initially implemented the software, and it is now available commercially.

iClear is one of the multiple technologies Union Pacific uses to enhance railroad safety and efficiency, and officials say the company actively collaborates with stakeholders, such as suppliers, governmental bodies, engineering researchers and employees to create tech-focused solutions that can further enhance the customer experience. 

PST has revamped the processes of railroads for more than 30 years regarding crew management, physics-based simulation solutions and timekeeping, officials say.  

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