Western Railroad Discussion > New "Union Pacific Railroad Police" vehicle

As I was driving on I-70 through Denver this afternoon, I noticed an unusual sight on one of those auto hauler trailers - a new-looking RAM 1500 pickup truck that said "Railroad Police" on the back, and on the side in big letters was "Union Pacific Railroad POLICE". I'd never seen a dedicated UPRR Police vehicle before, are these a new addition or have others seen them around other parts of the country?

Diamond_D Wrote:
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> As I was driving on I-70 through Denver this
> afternoon, I noticed an unusual sight on one of
> those auto hauler trailers - a new-looking RAM
> 1500 pickup truck that said "Railroad Police" on
> the back, and on the side in big letters was
> "Union Pacific Railroad POLICE". I'd never seen a
> dedicated UPRR Police vehicle before, are these a
> new addition or have others seen them around other
> parts of the country?

Been that way for at least 10-12 years.

Google UP railroad police and then click on images. Lots of vehicles out there.

Seen around here.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Quite a few UP RR Police driving Ford Explorers around Southern California.

jst3751 Wrote:
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> Quite a few UP RR Police driving Ford Explorers
> around Southern California.

I think they are phasing out the Explorers, all I've seen for the last couple of years have been Dodge Durangos.-BMT

Out here in Vegas just Durango SUV's

Dog Durango's out of the Reno, Nv area

Posted from Android

UPNW2-1083 Wrote:
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> jst3751 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Quite a few UP RR Police driving Ford Explorers
> > around Southern California.
>
> I think they are phasing out the Explorers, all
> I've seen for the last couple of years have been
> Dodge Durangos.-BMT

Just out of curiosity, where does UP sell the used autos? Auction?

Posted from iPhone

CPRR Wrote:
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> Just out of curiosity, where does UP sell the used
> autos? Auction?
>
> Posted from iPhone


Generally speaking, the UP does not buy their vehicle fleet outright. They lease them. When the UP determines that a vehicle no longer meets their needs, they are returned to the leasor. That entity would decide their ultimate disposition, but I'd say they usually end up in auction. I have seen many MOW vehicles picked up by short lines and railroad contractors.

Many company's with large fleets have a separate arm which is just for there leasing program. That arm buys the items and then leases them to ever which division of that same company needs them.

There are railroad vehicles at various auctions, specifically Manheim in Omaha has everything from MOW tandem axle trucks to pickups. Theses are not system wide vehicles I don't think, as most have Nebraska and Iowa titles. Denver Manheim has vehicles from close to that site.

Railroad trucks are always a good laugh as they are really used. Not a good buy.

DD40 Wrote:
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> There are railroad vehicles at various auctions,
> specifically Manheim in Omaha has everything from
> MOW tandem axle trucks to pickups. Theses are not
> system wide vehicles I don't think, as most have
> Nebraska and Iowa titles. Denver Manheim has
> vehicles from close to that site.
>
> Railroad trucks are always a good laugh as they
> are really used. Not a good buy.

IIRC, the UP RR trucks I see around southern California have Nebraska license plates on them. So it is possible they are sent back to Omaha for disposal.

There were plenty out for the Big Boy move to Cheyenne in 2014.

Nice puppy.

Out

In some states, there's a bulk buying deal for police vehicles. The state cuts deals with American car makers (like Fiat-Chrysler!) and invites local agencies, counties, colleges, etc to share in the deal. The more they buy / lease, the better the terms are for everyone. Local dealers get a piece of the action doing the final fit and finish.

Haven't ever asked (didn't try petting the puppy either) but I know at one time UP was using the same fleet
management company that we were. Our vehicles were purchased through the fleet company and the local delivering
dealer got a couple hundred bucks for handling the paperwork. We had over 500 locations so it made sense to
be able to this without needing our own national fleet management group.

Out

GE Capital was, and probably still is, a major lessor of vehicles to the UP. As for the UP Police vehicles, I've seen quite a few marked ones over the years, but the Special Agents also drive unmarked vehicles.

A few years ago, I was an Operation Lifesaver Presenter/Volunteer on an OLI special passenger train operated by the UP. UP Special Agents were shadowing the train in unmarked Ford Explorers. Well, at a well-signaled grade crossing, a loaded semi with hazmat placards blew right through the crossing with the crossing signals flashing and the passenger train approaching. The Special Agent stopped the truck and asked for the truck driver's driver's license and vehicle registration. The driver, using all kinds of abusive language, informed the Special Agent that he wasn't a "real cop" and that he had no authority to cite him for the violation. The Special Agent calmly replied, "Watch me." When the Special Agent related this story to me a little while after the incident, he said that the driver got really quiet after he figured out that, yes, the Special Agent could and was issuing him a citation for blowing through the grade crossing. "This one will cost that driver his CDL and probably his job, too," the Special Agent said. As far as I was concerned, the idiot truck driver deserved it.

Back on topic, Special Agents that I've talked to over the years have mixed opinions about "marked" vs. "unmarked." On one hand, they say that having a marked vehicle does have some deterrent effect on criminals. On the other hand, unmarked vehicles will allow the Special Agent to approach perps in the act without the SA being easily noticed.

One of the reasons that law enforcement (in rural areas, especially) are gravitating toward driving crew cab short box pickups (usually 4WD) is that a lot of the current generation SUV's have such cramped interior space that all of the communication equipment, laptop computers, etc. used by law enforcement these days simply will not easily fit in the vehicle. Some law enforcement guys that I know drive the current model Ford Explorer SUV. With all of their equipment, the front passenger seat is essentially unusable to carry a passenger. Also, most of the current generation mid-size SUV's are essentially AWD cars without "true" 4WD off-road capability. Given some of the nasty access roads that the railroads have to use to access their tracks, a "real" 4WD is often necessary.

UP sells some MOW rucks at Ken Porter auctions in Carson CA. On the 405 Fwy at Avalon BL near the Goodyear blimp.