Cheyenne, Wyo., Awarded Membership in Union Pacific's Train Town USA Registry
OMAHA, Neb., July 21, 2012 – Cheyenne, Wyo., has been awarded a membership in Union Pacific’s Train Town USA Registry as part of the railroad’s year-long 150th anniversary celebration.
Cheyenne received an official Train Town USA resolution signed by Union Pacific Chairman Jim Young, and Cheyenne’s historical connection with Union Pacific will be featured at www.up150.com.
“We are proud to recognize Cheyenne as we commemorate our railroad’s sesquicentennial celebration and growing up together,” said Jack Koraleski, Union Pacific president and chief executive officer. “Union Pacific has been part of the country’s fabric throughout the railroad's 150-year history. That bond between us and the nearly 7,300 communities we serve continues to strengthen.
“Our shared heritage with Cheyenne is a source of pride as we remember our past while serving and connecting our nation for years to come.”
Cheyenne and Union Pacific Railroad share a rich and lengthy history together. Abraham Lincoln created Union Pacific by signing into law the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862. Ground was broken in Omaha in 1863 but actual construction was delayed until July 1865, when the first rail was laid just three months after Lincoln was assassinated.
Where Cheyenne stands today initially was a campsite for the U.S. Army's Major General Grenville M. Dodge and his troops, who were charged in 1865 with finding a railroad route over the Laramie Mountains. The construction of the Union Pacific Railroad across Wyoming from 1867 to 1868 opened the state to permanent settlement, and Cheyenne was incorporated in the fall of 1867. It quickly developed into a hub for shipping and railroad maintenance. The rapidly growing railroad network provided a relatively safe and a much quicker form of travel for both freight and people. The golden spike marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad was driven May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah, by officials of Union Pacific and Central Pacific. Development continued in Cheyenne, and a second main line track was constructed through there in 1900.
Today, as in years past, all 45,000 Union Pacific employees, including more than 1,300 in Wyoming and nearly 600 in Cheyenne, are committed to meeting the challenge given to them 150 years ago by Lincoln himself, to connect and support the United States of America while continuing to meet the needs of the customers, shareholders and communities in which they live and work.
About Union Pacific
It was 150 years ago that Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862, creating the original Union Pacific. One of America’s iconic companies, today, Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP), linking 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail and providing freight solutions and logistics expertise to the global supply chain. From 2000 through 2011, Union Pacific spent more than $31 billion on its network and operations, making needed investments in America’s infrastructure and enhancing its ability to provide safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible freight transportation. Union Pacific’s diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. The railroad serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and emphasizes excellent customer service. Union Pacific operates competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways.
Cheyenne received an official Train Town USA resolution signed by Union Pacific Chairman Jim Young, and Cheyenne’s historical connection with Union Pacific will be featured at www.up150.com.
“We are proud to recognize Cheyenne as we commemorate our railroad’s sesquicentennial celebration and growing up together,” said Jack Koraleski, Union Pacific president and chief executive officer. “Union Pacific has been part of the country’s fabric throughout the railroad's 150-year history. That bond between us and the nearly 7,300 communities we serve continues to strengthen.
“Our shared heritage with Cheyenne is a source of pride as we remember our past while serving and connecting our nation for years to come.”
Cheyenne and Union Pacific Railroad share a rich and lengthy history together. Abraham Lincoln created Union Pacific by signing into law the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862. Ground was broken in Omaha in 1863 but actual construction was delayed until July 1865, when the first rail was laid just three months after Lincoln was assassinated.
Where Cheyenne stands today initially was a campsite for the U.S. Army's Major General Grenville M. Dodge and his troops, who were charged in 1865 with finding a railroad route over the Laramie Mountains. The construction of the Union Pacific Railroad across Wyoming from 1867 to 1868 opened the state to permanent settlement, and Cheyenne was incorporated in the fall of 1867. It quickly developed into a hub for shipping and railroad maintenance. The rapidly growing railroad network provided a relatively safe and a much quicker form of travel for both freight and people. The golden spike marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad was driven May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah, by officials of Union Pacific and Central Pacific. Development continued in Cheyenne, and a second main line track was constructed through there in 1900.
Today, as in years past, all 45,000 Union Pacific employees, including more than 1,300 in Wyoming and nearly 600 in Cheyenne, are committed to meeting the challenge given to them 150 years ago by Lincoln himself, to connect and support the United States of America while continuing to meet the needs of the customers, shareholders and communities in which they live and work.
About Union Pacific
It was 150 years ago that Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862, creating the original Union Pacific. One of America’s iconic companies, today, Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP), linking 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail and providing freight solutions and logistics expertise to the global supply chain. From 2000 through 2011, Union Pacific spent more than $31 billion on its network and operations, making needed investments in America’s infrastructure and enhancing its ability to provide safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible freight transportation. Union Pacific’s diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. The railroad serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and emphasizes excellent customer service. Union Pacific operates competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways.