The Union Pacific Railroad has been a driving force in connecting America over the decades. But behind the iconic engines and rail lines crisscrossing the Cowboy State are the hardworking people who brought the railroad to life. Now, the American Heritage Center is hitting the tracks to document their unsung stories.

Through the “Life Between the Rails” project, the AHC is collecting oral histories from Union Pacific employees who worked in Wyoming – especially women and minority groups whose voices have often gone unheard. If you spent your career on the rails, whether working the trades, driving locomotives across the vast landscapes, or rising through management, we want to hear from you.

In addition to one-on-one interviews, the project will also hold roundtable discussions in cities along the Union Pacific corridor in southern Wyoming, including Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Green River, and Evanston. These guided discussions with groups of longtime UP employees, retired or not, will help identify potential interviewees and interviewers. The discussions will also provide an opportunity to learn about participants’ experiences in an informal setting. Food and drink will be provided to participants at each of the discussion sites.

Maybe you were the first woman maintaining signaling equipment in the 1970s. Or a minority engineer who broke through racial barriers. Perhaps you lived through major milestones like railroad deregulation or big mergers. Whatever your Wyoming-based story, the AHC wants to document the challenges you overcame and the inspiring ways you adapted to changes in the industry over time.

But this project isn’t just about personal narratives. It aims to create a comprehensive, on-the-ground record of how Union Pacific continually transformed – through innovations, environmental pressures, competition, and more. Your firsthand accounts will paint a vivid picture of this iconic company’s evolution for future generations.

Through 2024, the AHC will diligently record up to 50 interviews, including the roundtable discussions. These oral histories will be carefully preserved, giving researchers and rail fans access to an invaluable piece of American industrial heritage for years to come.

If you’ve got Union Pacific stories rooted in Wyoming to share, the AHC wants to hear them. Reach out today to Project Assistant Tana Libolt at ahcrails@uwyo.edu or 307-766-5575 and ensure the incredible journeys that kept the railways running don’t get left behind.