Union Pacific Announces Location of New Kenefick Park

Park Will Include Historic Big Boy and Centennial Locomotives

Omaha, Neb., September 23, 2004 – Union Pacific Chairman and CEO Dick Davidson and Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey today unveiled plans for a new John C. Kenefick Park south of downtown Omaha. With the park’s namesake looking on, Davidson and Fahey announced the park will be built just south of Lauritzen Gardens, located at 100 Bancroft Street. Davidson also announced that two of the original park’s major attractions, a Big Boy steam locomotive and 6900 Centennial diesel locomotive, will relocate to the new park.

"Once, Kenefick Park and its historic locomotives greeted people driving from Eppley Airfield to downtown Omaha," Davidson said. "Now, this tribute to one of the great leaders in UP history — and two of the greatest locomotives ever to power our railroad — will welcome motorists as they cross the Interstate 80 bridge into Nebraska."

Kenefick Park’s Big Boy steam locomotive and 6900 Centennial diesel locomotive were moved from the original Kenefick Park along Abbott Drive to the Western Heritage Museum in 2002 to accommodate redevelopment. Since then, Union Pacific and the City of Omaha have searched for the proper location to relocate the park and display the pair of locomotives.

The park bears the name of former Union Pacific Chairman and CEO John C. Kenefick. Though he retired in 1986, Kenefick still maintains an office at the railroad. According to prize-winning author Maury Klein, "John Kenefick is the linchpin for the post-1969 period in Union Pacific’s history. He is an indispensable resource." Klein credits Kenefick as the mainspring of his literary project "Union Pacific: The Birth, 1862-1893" and "Union Pacific: The Rebirth, 1894-1969."

Kenefick was born in 1921 and graduated from Princeton University with a major in mechanical engineering. After serving three years in the U.S. Navy, he began his career with Union Pacific working in the mechanical and operating departments in 1947. He was elected chief executive officer in 1970, became president in 1971 and was named chairman and chief executive officer of Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads in 1983.

In addition to Union Pacific’s plans for a new Kenefick Park, Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey announced that the City of Omaha will construct a tribute to Union Pacific at 10th and Abbott Drive. The monument is the fulfillment of a city obligation to relocate Kenefick Park under the agreement that originally acquired Union Pacific property for Qwest Center Omaha. The project includes a large display documenting Union Pacific’s ties to Omaha and the rich history both share.

"This monument is in recognition of the significant contributions this great corporate partner has made to our vibrant city, right from the start," Fahey said.

 The monument will be approximately 10 feet high and 130 feet long with a series of panels highlighting Union Pacific’s contributions to Omaha. Design and construction are underway and completion is expected late summer 2005.   

Union Pacific Corporation owns one of America’s leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, is the largest railroad in North America, covering 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States. A strong focus on quality and a strategically advantageous route structure enable the company to serve customers in critical and fast growing markets. It is a leading carrier of low-sulfur coal used in electrical power generation and has broad coverage of the large chemical-producing areas along the Gulf Coast. With competitive long-haul routes between all major West Coast ports and eastern gateways, and as the only railroad to serve all six major gateways to Mexico, Union Pacific has the premier rail franchise in North America.

For more information contact Gene Hinkle, Union Pacific, (402) 514-9406 or (402) 880-8052.

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