Union Pacific sets a record for coal
Strong demand for coal and agriculture products helped boost shipping volume for Union Pacific Corp. 5 percent in the second quarter through June 10, the nation’s largest railroad said Friday.
The railroad said intermodal volume also remained strong in the quarter that began April 1 and runs through June. The intermodal segment of the railroad’s business was up 7 percent during the quarter.
Union Pacific’s intermodal shipping, which uses large containers that can be carried by railroads, trucks, cargo planes or ships, has set company volume records every month in 2006.
The Omaha-based railroad said energy shipping is up about 8 percent in the quarter, and May was a record month for coal shipped from Wyoming’s Southern Powder River Basin.
Union Pacific is transporting more ethanol, feed and corn shipments and Mexican imports this year than it did last year. So the volume of agriculture products transported is up 3 percent.
Shipping of cars and car parts is also up 5 percent during the second quarter.
Jim Young, Union Pacific’s president and chief executive, said the railroad also established a record for the number of rail cars loaded and hauled in a seven-day period.
