News / US rail safety spotlight turns on Union Pacific after unscheduled inspection

© Neil Lockhart

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), a government agency under the umbrella of the US Department of Transportation, has voiced concerns about safety standards at Union Pacific (UP).

In a letter to top UP executives, federal railroad administrator Amit Bose expressed concern that defects found in a recent unscheduled inspection could represent a “significant risk to rail safety”.

FRA inspectors had visited UP’s largest railyard in western Nebraska and their report showed a 19.93% defect rate on railcars and a 72.69% defect rate ...