The biggest Union Pacific impact came to a Nebraska section of track stretching more than 20 football fields in length, cutting across the heart of the transcontinental main line and associated arteries that carry roughly 90 trains per day in and out of North Platte, home to the world's largest freight rail classification yard. It is the main route for trains that haul products such as grain, rock, coal, electronics, furniture, lumber and steel.
For context, about 75% of Nebraska's 93 counties declared a state of emergency, with Nebraska state officials estimating $1.4 billion in losses and damages due to the flooding.
"Many of our own employees were impacted by the flooding that resulted from the storm," Gehringer said. "Cost is of little concern when we need to mobilize to take care of our customers and communities. Everyone on the team was committed to getting up and running as soon as possible because we all understand how important our service is to the broader economy. It's something in which we take great pride."
Union Pacific worked 24/7 on railroad reconstruction efforts.
The historic reconstruction effort required:
- More than 500 trucks delivering 65,000 tons of road bed materials.
- Six large trains delivering 72,000 tons of ballast, rock and other items.
- A total of 137,000 tons of materials, the equivalent weight of more than 2,700 bulldozers.
- 21 excavators
- 20 hyrail rotary dump trucks
- 10 bulldozers
- Nine hyrail excavators
While the reconstruction work was underway, trains had to be rerouted in order to deliver goods to customers. With about 800 new trains launching daily across the Union Pacific network, that presented quite a challenge.
"We identified Kansas City as the best option to reroute trains, but quickly had to develop a priority list because no single rerouting could absorb every train on top of its own normal traffic," said David Giandinoto, vice president of UP's dispatching operations. "It would have been like pouring too much fluid into a funnel at once."
In addition to utilizing Kansas City, Union Pacific found a way to partner with another railroad for contiguous service on its east/west route.[/b]