UP Chastised For Misusing Temporary Limit System

Union Pacific dramatically reduced its use of temporary limits on some businesses’ shipments over the past year after its customers complained. But regulators said Wednesday the railroad must go further to be in line with the other major freight railroads. Even though Union Pacific went from imposing 1,081 embargoes in 2022 to just 181 last year, the Surface Transportation Board said that was still more than all the other major freight railroads combined. The limits have been traditionally used only in extreme circumstances, like a flood or bridge fire, making it hard for railroads to keep up. But Union Pacific had gotten in the habit of imposing embargoes whenever their railroad got congested.