UP awards 21 grants to support community railroad safety initiatives

Union Pacific has awarded 21 grants to community-owned railroad safety initiatives across its 23-state operating system. Ranging from $500 to $5,000, the grants support initiatives developed by community organizations to enhance and promote railroad safety through activities tailored for their communities.

“Union Pacific developed the grant program to empower communities to be active railroad safety participants,” said Bob Grimaila, vice president of safety, security and environment at Union Pacific. “These organizations have taken the initiative to embrace railroad safety and care enough to ensure fellow community members understand how to be safe around railroad tracks.”

Initiatives receiving Union Pacific safety grant funding included rail station safety blitzes, educational outreach, rail safety signage, safety flier distribution, enforcement patrols and rail safety-focused community outreach and public safety announcements running in a local movie theater.

The grant program is part of the UP CARES public safety initiative that promotes pedestrian and driver safety through a variety of outreach channels such s the ones listed above.