UP unveils AutoFlex

Union Pacific Railroad Senior Vice President–Corporate Relations Bob Turner, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, and local officials were on hand Friday as Union Pacific unveiled its employee-designed and built AutoFlex™ rail car in De Soto, Mo. The 90-foot long AutoFlex™ is a convertible, multi-level rail car that UP says can be transformed from two to three decks based on the customer’s vehicle shipment needs.

UP says the AutoFlex™ delivers numerous benefits to its auto customers, including:

• The flexibility of three decks to transport small vehicles or two decks to accommodate large vehicles. Traditional vehicle-carrying rail cars have either two or three decks and cannot be converted from one to the other.

• Superior security due to the removal of ladder access to the rail car roof and upper decks. The ladder is accessible only when end doors are open.

• A new end-door design with ladders that allow for safer, more ergonomic access to the rail car’s interior.

• Increased service quality thanks to a proven durable door edge system, improved tie-down chock systems, and upgraded in-transit damage protection.

UP says it holds 15 patents related to the design and process that resulted in developing the AutoFlex™. UP employees expect to build 100 AutoFlex™ cars in 2011 and are scheduled to build 200, or more, in 2012.

“Our nearly 150-year existence is due largely to innovations, like the AutoFlex™, that provide value to our customers, keep us competitive, benefit the industry and sustain and grow jobs. Today marks yet another day when Union Pacific employees showed great ingenuity to provide our customers ever-better service. We are very proud of what they achieved,” Turner said.