Passenger Trains > UP's Davidsons letter to employees

Dick Davidson Letter to Employees

Fellow Employees:

Over the weekend, articles that appeared in the New York Times and
other newspapers made a number of serious allegations against our
company related to grade crossing accidents. While much of the
factual information in these stories is accurate, the tone of the
stories creates the impression of a company that does not follow the
rules.

That is not the kind of company we are. I want to address the charges
made in the stories and to provide all of you with some information
that was omitted from the articles. I want you to know that I am
personally committed to ensuring the highest degree of ethical
behavior at all levels of our company.

During the course of the reporter's investigation, we learned that
some of our reporting and compliance processes were not as thorough as
we expect. When we learned of these breakdowns in our processes, we
took immediate corrective actions. Union Pacific's policy is to be
100 percent compliant with all of the many regulations that apply to
railroads.

Many of the allegations concern destruction of evidence after crossing
accidents. Union Pacific's policy is clear: We do not destroy
information or evidence needed for legal proceedings. A few years
ago, the courts began to expand the types of materials they expect us
to retain in grade crossing accidents. In October 2002, we instituted
major changes to our processes to ensure that this wider range of
materials is kept. Additionally, we will initiate a program to
install video cameras on locomotives to ensure accurate recording of
crossing incidents.

As the article acknowledges, many of its conclusions are based on
statements by individuals who are hired to testify against the company
in lawsuits. In each instance, there is another side of the story.
For example, the article implies that we cut vegetation after a recent
Arkansas accident to make the crossing look better, but we carefully
photographed the crossing to document the scene before cutting the
vegetation.

The article stated that notification of fatalities at crossings to the
National Response Center was inconsistent. While we report
consistently and properly to the Federal Railroad Administration and
state and local authorities, we failed, in several dozen instances, to
comply with a specific requirement that we notify the NRC by phone.
We have changed our procedures to ensure that proper notification is
made in the future. We have initiated a further, comprehensive audit
of all reporting requirements to identify and correct any other
shortcomings.

No one wants to avoid grade-crossing accidents more than we do.
Emotionally, they take a severe toll on our colleagues in train
service, who usually cannot stop their train in time to avoid
collisions, and the rest of us, who feel the human tragedies that so
often accompany these accidents. We all feel a sense of tragedy and
loss when these accidents occur.

Union Pacific has a comprehensive grade crossing safety program that
includes system vegetation control, maintenance of grade crossing
warnings, inspection and maintenance of track and crossing panels,
maintenance of locomotive horns and lights, and training and
certification of train crews who operate the trains. We also posted an
800 number on all crossings for immediate response to stalled cars or
other safety risks.

Additionally, Union Pacific funds public education campaigns and many
Union Pacific employees voluntarily contribute thousands of hours to
making safety presentations to the driving public. We also sponsor
safety programs in cooperation with police departments to enhance law
enforcement on crossings where there have been violations.

As a result, grade crossing accidents on Union Pacific declined 84%,
from 3,049 to 489, between 1976 and 2003. The annual number of
fatalities from rail-highway incidents on Union Pacific for the same
period decreased 74% from 261 to 68. This improvement occurred while
highway traffic increased 80 percent.

I want you all to remember that we work for a great company with a
great history and a bright future of service to our nation. I
personally want to thank each of you for your dedication.

--Dick Davidson

Unfortunatly Mr. Davidsons letter is a classic example of the old adage"too little too late"!!
Only a tiny fraction of the millions who read the scathing NYTimes article will see this semi-rebutal and if only 10% of the allegations contained in the Times article prove true it is a sad day for a once proud Company!
This raises an important long term question. How is it that Dick Davidson and his senior management team is still employed???
He and his team produced the totally bolloxed up C&NW "merger", then went on to produce the infamous meltdown/gridlock of the '90's and now Meltdown2 and as part of the solution they're now telling their customer base to take their business somewhere else as the UPRR "CAN"T HANDLE IT"
Even in baseball three strikes and you're OUT!! And to add insult to injury Davidson & CO. are being paid salaries/bonuses/perks in the MILLIONS/YEAR!!!
And another scary thought is that all this is giving those who want to re-regulate the industry a whole lot of very hard to refute amo. What a tragic consequence that would be!
If you think the UP troubles are mostly bad luck vs. bad management then just compare the BNSF's performance vs. UP's and you'll see it's all about management!!
Seems to me a complete house cleaning is LONG overdue in the executive suite at the UPRR!!!
Ross Rowland

Amen to Ross for that post.

And note that Mr. Davidson's rebuttal is completely silent about the issue of event recorders. The NY Times alleged that in many cases, event recorders were non-functional, there was no tape in the recorders, or the software used to download the data contained errors. Mr. Davidson makes no mention of any of that.

I am sure he has to ask his Mechanical Guru's about that and they need to find excuses first to answer the boss.

"Additionally, we will initiate a program to install video cameras on locomotives to ensure accurate recording of crossing incidents."

NS is already doing this. VERY smart move for UP.

Remember that line from "The Big Easy" - "But Remy, they've got a videotape!"

co614 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Only a tiny fraction of the millions who read
> the scathing NYTimes article will see this
> semi-rebutal and if only 10% of the allegations
> contained in the Times article prove true it is a
> sad day for a once proud Company!

Millions don't read the NY Times. A few hundred thousand people, mostly in the NYC area thousands of miles away from the nearest UP grade crossing, will even set eyes on this article.

Andy Byler

> Millions don't read the NY Times. A few hundred
> thousand people, mostly in the NYC area thousands
> of miles away from the nearest UP grade crossing,
> will even set eyes on this article.
>

Not really. NY Times is a paper with a fairly national audience. This is reflected in the format in which it's released: NYC-area news are in a separate section while the front part is devoted to national and international issues.

ChS7-321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Plus other publications nationwide pick up NY Times articles. Bother the Sunday Cincinnati Enquire and Indianapolis Star carried this article - I'm sure other papers did as well

> > > Millions don't read the NY Times. A few
> hundred
> > thousand people, mostly in the NYC area
> thousands
> > of miles away from the nearest UP grade
> crossing,
> > will even set eyes on this article.
> >
>
> Not really. NY Times is a paper with a fairly
> national audience. This is reflected in the
> format in which it's released: NYC-area news are
> in a separate section while the front part is
> devoted to national and international issues.
>
>
>
>
>

UP's still a joke of a railroad as far as I'm concerned. I still can't beleive they "claim" to be building America, but they can't handle increased traffic and not staying ahead of the pack on hiring new people! BNSF sure are making them look really bad

abyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Millions don't read the NY Times. A few hundred
> thousand people, mostly in the NYC area thousands
> of miles away from the nearest UP grade crossing,
> will even set eyes on this article.
>
> Andy Byler


True but it's the "few hundred thousand" that count. It's the "national paper of record"

abyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Millions don't read the NY Times. A few hundred
> thousand people, mostly in the NYC area thousands
> of miles away from the nearest UP grade crossing,
> will even set eyes on this article.

Let's Google the news option for "In Deaths at Rail Crossings, Missing Evidence and Silence", the title of the article in yesterday's NYT.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&ie=UTF-8&q=In+Deaths+at+Rail
+Crossings%2C+Missing+Evidence+and+Silence&btnG=Search+News

click the "and more" option.

The story has appeared in 21 outlets so far.

UP's going to have a hard time living this one down. As previously mentioned, a number of other media outlets have run the story. Here in Northern NM/Southern CO the UP story made the front page of the Sunday Denver Post.

see: http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/media_response.shtml for the UP media responce.
they are not realy denying anything.

THe sad truth is that several million people read the scathing NYTimes article(vs. a few thousand who read Dick Davidsons semi-rebuttal) and if only 10% of the allegations in the Times article are true-then it's a very sad commentary on what WAS a very proud railroad!
I'm sure at the end of the day the Feds will have no choice but to levy heavy(think many many millions)fines against UP if for no other rteason then to send a message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
The fascinating question this brings to the fore is......How has Dick Davidson and his senior "managers" managed to stay employed??? This same team brought you the incredibly bumbled C&NW "merger", followed by the infamous Meltdown/Gridlock of the '90's and now MELTDOWN2, part of the solution to wit: take your business somewhere else--the UPRR "CAN'T HANDLE IT" !!! And just to throw salt in the wound Davidson&Co. are being paid outlandish multi-million dollar salaries/bonuses/perks!! Where the heck is the B.O.D., where are the institutional investors, where is the STB?????
And just in case you think it's just bad luck--think again and compare the performance of BNSF to UPRR and you'll clearly see the entire difference is MANAGEMENT( or the lack thereof)!!
Most scary of all, this repeated gross mis-management is giving powerfull ammo to those who want Congress to re-regulate the railroads, what a tragic legacy that would be !!
Seems to me that it's high time for a complete and extensive house cleaning in the executive suite at UPRR !!!
Ross Rowland

Mr. Rowland--

I believe The Times will defer until Sunday printing commentary, including Mr. Davidson's letter, and likely one as well from Mr. Ward, regarding the series.

I'm confident that "gray lady" will step forward and have the "barbs" thrown her way. She has done so in the past (in re Jayson Blair), and I'm certain will do so here.

Disclaimer: New York Times reader of 55 years standing

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> abyler Wrote:
>
> > Millions don't read the NY Times. A few
> hundred
> > thousand people, mostly in the NYC area
> thousands
> > of miles away from the nearest UP grade
> crossing,
> > will even set eyes on this article.
> >
> > Andy Byler
>
> The March 2004, the New York Times daily
> circulation was 1.13 million. Note that this is
> circulation, so its safe to assume that many of
> the papers are read by more than one person. If
> you travel to any large city, you can pick up a
> New York Times at a newsstand or in a vending box
> and it is available for home devivery in most
> medium- and large-sized cities.
>
> As noted in other posts, other media have also
> been carrying this story. America On Line posted
> this story yesterday.

Most people who get the Times do not have time to read the whole thing simply because most people don't have time for it. They will certainly probably skip long winded articles like this one about some obscure events out west in fly over country. Many people who subscribe only do so to get certain sections and simply never even look at other parts of the paper.

Andy Byler

CO614 wrote

> Seems to me that it's high time for a complete
> and extensive house cleaning in the executive
> suite at UPRR !!!
> Ross Rowland


So how is that High Iron company going? Whats the status on 614 of late?

Greg

With all due respect, but how could you possibly know that for sure?