Gulf Coast Family Builds America with Union Pacific for More Than 100 Years

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Five Generations: Gulf Coast Family Builds America with Union Pacific for More Than 100 Years

For more than 160 years, Union Pacific has been more than a railroad - it's been a place where families forge careers and build shared legacies. These family connections - grandparents, parents, children and siblings choosing a career with Union Pacific - speaks to a strength of culture, meaningful work and robust opportunity.

"Working for the railroad is something to be proud of," said Jason Songer, locomotive engineer, a fifth-generation railroader based out of Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Songer family's extensive railroad history dates back 100 years - beginning with Union Pacific predecessor railroads St. Louis Southwestern Railway, known as the Cotton Belt, and Southern Pacific.

Jason's great-great-grandfather, Samuel, kickstarted this proud family tradition - working as a boilermaker and shop foreperson in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. His great-grandfather, Merton Sr., was a rail car technician in Shreveport. His grandfather, Thomas, and great-uncle, Merton Jr., were conductors and locomotive engineers in Pine Bluff; his father, Mark, was a locomotive engineer; and his uncle, Erik, currently serves as a locomotive engineer on Union Pacific's Mid-America Service Unit.

"My grandfather, Thomas, had a ton of stories to tell about being a locomotive engineer," Songer said. "The routes in use back then are still in use today."

Jason operates freight runs from Shreveport to Longview, Texas. In addition to safely moving freight, his responsibilities include conducting job briefings, verifying equipment status, staying vigilant and monitoring advanced tools like Positive Train Control - a safety overlay that didn't exist in his grandfather's day.

"What I enjoy most about my career is the people I work with and friends I've made," he said.

But while Jason's 15-year career is still underway, his father, Mark, recently retired from Union Pacific after 30 years of service.

The bow on Mark's career? Jason gained permission to join him in the cab - their first work event together.

"The experience was really cool and bittersweet," Jason said. "Witnessing him operate the train is something I'll always remember and cherish."