Around The Railroad

Employee Club 66 Takes to the Highway

October 2, 2009 | 08:51 a.m. CDT

Union Pacific Employee Club #66 members adopted a 2-mile section of Texas Highway 482, near New Braunfels, that runs parallel to the Austin Subdivision No. 2 main track. The group has agreed to clean up trash quarterly for the next two years.

"It's a great way to give back to the communities in which Union Pacific operates," said Robert Moore, club president and locomotive engineer.

During their first clean-up, volunteers collected more than 50 bags of trash and ended the day with a sausage barbecue. The group held its second clean-up in August and was just as successful.

"It's very rewarding to receive thanks for our efforts from people that live and work along our adopted road," said Buck Russel, locomotive engineer and club member.

Russel organized the events, working closely with the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure all safety materials are on hand and collected trash is properly disposed of. He also works closely with the Comal Elementary School administration – the school is located along the adopted highway. Together, they identify a safe location for club members to meet and identify possible safety hazards to the club members and students.

The Adopt-a-Highway program began in Texas in 1985 and continues to grow, saving taxpayer money and keeping rights of way clean. Since its inception, the program has spread to all 49 other states (with more than 1.3 million volunteers), Canada, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Mexico.