Union Pacific running full steam

Union Pacific Railroad is looking for a few good workers.

And a few more after that, and a few more after that.

Nebraska-based UP is riding a rail resurgence, toting record amounts of freight throughout its 23-state Western region and needing lots of workers to help keep the trains running smoothly.

While the company has openings for track workers, diesel mechanics, rail car repairers, truck drivers and management employees, the most pressing need is for train service employees. Through the end of the year, the company is looking to add 1,750 train service workers in 15 states — part of a multi-year hiring surge that's unprecedented in the company's history.

"The reason has been not only the heavy traffic volumes, but also several years ago there were changes in the Railroad Retirement Act where railroad employees that had worked for the railroad for 30 years and were 60 years old were able to receive full benefits," said UP spokesman Mark Davis.

"Many of our employees have been taking advantage of that, and we found ourselves where we needed to continue to hire an average of 5,000 employees strictly for train service alone the last several years. This year we're on about that same goal. In July, we were still needing 1,750 train service employees across the railroad."

UP's train service worker needs in Utah are modest — 30 in Salt Lake City and eight in Milford, Beaver County — but the company is pushing the fact that the positions offer "excellent" benefits plus starting pay of up to $40,000 in the first year and $75,000 in future years. Train service workers are those directly involved in train operation and movement, switching operations and train and equipment inspections.

A complete listing of job openings is at www.unionpacific.jobs.

The company has 1,756 employees and an annual payroll of $11.6 million in Utah. UP's 1,333 miles of track in Utah crisscross the state as cars move Utah coal to power plants in Utah and Nevada, plus California ports for export to the Pacific Rim, as well as metals, minerals, manufactured products, automobiles and automobile parts.