UP's major rail lines in the Topeka, Kansas, region have reopened following a severe storm that dumped up to 12 inches of rain in a several hour period beginning late-Saturday, October 1. The resulting runoff damaged several rail bridges, eroded the track structure and caused extensive "washouts" - where ballast was completely swept away in stretches hundreds of feet long - along four of UP's rail lines. The affected lines carry all our traffic between the Kansas City and St. Louis gateways and points west, including the Powder River Basin coal fields. Union Pacific crews worked around the clock to repair the track and bridges on lines from: Topeka, Kan., to Salina, Kan.;Marysville, Kan., to Topeka, Kan.; Kansas City, Mo., to Hiawatha, Kan.; and Topeka, Kan., to Kansas City, Kan.

Repairs have been completed to the Salina, Marysville and Hiawatha lines by late evening on Tuesday, October 4. Two double-track mainline bridges on the Topeka to Kansas City line - one 60 feet long and the other 34 feet long - were temporarily repaired and opened to rail traffic yesterday, Wednesday, October 5. Both bridges will be rebuilt after normal traffic flows resume. With all the lines now open, a detailed plan to control the flow of trains through the area was developed. It likely will take at least seven days before normal operations can be resumed.

Hurricane Update Hurricane Katrina - The only embargoes that remain in place for Hurricane Katrina-impacted areas is for local traffic within New Orleans proper. Hurricane Rita - All embargoes have been lifted in Hurricane Rita-impacted areas. Many of our customers in the Beaumont, TX to Lake Charles, LA are still not operational. We are working with these customers to find storage locations for the large number of private rail cars that are unable to be placed into their facilities for loading.