Union Pacific Electronic Book Brings 150-year Railroad History to Life

July 1, 2012 / Updated July 4, 2012

Class 1 Railroads

“Union Pacific Timeline”, an e-book that details Union Pacific Railroad’s 150-year historical timeline, was released was July 1. The book is free in the Apple iTunes Store.

To mark its 150th anniversary this year, UP created www.up150.com, which includes an interactive timeline. “Union Pacific Timeline” allows users to swipe among timeline entries to view photos, as well as read stories about critical moments during UP’s history. There also is an index where users can go directly to specific dates and events they wish to view.

Union Pacific’s digital timeline can be found at www.up150.com/timeline.

The book’s debut came on the anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln July 1, 1862 signing of the Pacific Railway Act, authorizing construction of the transcontinental railroad and creating UP. From the groundbreaking and laying of the first rails to the opening of UP’s Harriman Dispatching Center and new headquarters building, the timeline covers major achievements, innovations, milestones, and railroad mergers.

The book also marks UP’s 150th anniversary this year.

“Union Pacific Timeline” was created using Apple’s iBooks Author, an e-book authoring application released earlier this year. The book is the first e-book published by a North American railroad and is among the first corporate e-books available for download at the Apple iTunes Store.

Union Pacific released the UP Steam App in the Apple Store in late 2011. The free app can be used to track UP’s legendary No. 844 steam locomotive.