Manager at Union Pacific
Navy Reservist helps keep Union Pacific chugging smoothly.
by Warren Duffie

The news was bad. A Union Pacific Railroad train hauling tons of soda ash suffered a major derailment on an important track in the Blue Mountains. Precious haul time and millions of dollars were being lost. Nerves were on edge.

Pat Meriwether, general superintendent of transportation services for Union Pacific’s Portland service unit, jumped into action. He quickly assessed the situation and possible solutions. Quick repairs were out of the question. Meriwether ordered his team to remove the first two locomotives and cars, allowing the rest of the train to travel on its own power. This fast thinking allowed the train to get to its destination on schedule.

“The military teaches you to make quick yet informed decisions and to rely on your team to get the job done,” said the Navy Reservist. “The same principles are applied every day in the railroad industry. That’s why military veterans are so valued at Union Pacific.”

On the Job
Meriwether’s location in Portland, Ore., has 1,600 employees overseeing 1,200 miles of track and trains traveling through California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and into Canada. Meriwether is responsible for train operations and track, car and locomotive maintenance and repair – scheduling operations, inspections, dealing with derailments and pulling faulty trains from the track and sending them to be fixed in the rail yard.

The lieutenant commander begins his work day at 0530, reviewing operations and going over the previous day’s events. The rest of his day is spent in meetings with customers and union and corporate officials to go over employee and service issues. He goes home around 1700. Meriwether also travels extensively, visiting sites along his unit’s track line. He estimates 40 percent of his job is spent on the road.

“One thing we really stress here is safety, and that also ties into my military experience,” said Meriwether, 48. “We spend a lot of time assessing and minimizing various risks. Like the military, the railroad is a very safe industry but very unforgiving if you’re careless.”

The Company
Union Pacific is the largest railroad in North America, covering 23 states and 32,000 miles. It comprises 8,400 locomotives, 96,000 freight cars and 45,000 employees. The Fortune 200 company, which has annual earnings of $18 billion, transports everything from cars to chemicals and is the only railroad to serve all six gateways to Mexico.

The company – whose legacy of hiring military personnel stretches back to the Civil War – was named by G.I. Jobs magazine as a 2008 Top 50 Military Friendly Employer®. Veterans are valued for several reasons. Many of the railroad’s technical jobs – such as diesel locomotive mechanics and electricians and railcar mechanics – mirror those in the military. In addition, lifestyles and working conditions are similar, often involving outdoor work, non-traditional hours and frequent relocation.

“In my unit alone, about 25 percent of the employees have military experience,” Meriwether said. “Union Pacific appreciates their self-discipline and work ethic. If you succeeded in the military, you’ll succeed here.”

In Uniform
A native of Mobile, Ala., Meriwether grew up in a Navy family. His father was an aviator who flew PBY Catalinas and other multi-engine planes. In 1984, after graduating from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Meriwether landed a management trainee position with Union Pacific. He steadily climbed the corporate ladder when the Gulf War broke out in 1990.

“Deep inside, I knew I wanted to serve my country in some way,” Meriwether said. “I had always regretted not serving. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, I applied for a direct commission as a Navy supply officer.”

Meriwether’s Advice
Although Meriwether has always been a Reservist – never transitioning from active-duty service to civilian employment – his managerial experience allows him to offer the following advice to military veterans:

“I would encourage you to consider a career with Union Pacific. It’s probably the closest thing you’ll find to the military in the civilian sector. It’s a large organization with a strong chain of command, fast-paced op-tempo, commitment to safety and powerful sense of mission. The railroad industry was built by former military men who had engineering experience from West Point and knew how to lead large groups of people. It’s only natural we still look to hire military veterans.”