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Document and Entity Information - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Document and Entity Information - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2010	Jan. 28, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Document type	10-K
Document period end date	Dec. 31, 2010
Amendment flag	false
Entity registrant name	UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION
Entity central index key	0000100885
Entity current reporting status	Yes
Entity voluntary filers	No
Current fiscal year end date	--12-31
Entity filer category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity well known seasoned issuer	Yes
Entity common stock shares outstanding		491,001,416
Entity public float			$ 38,339
Document fiscal year focus	2010
Document fiscal period focus	FY

Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Operating revenues [Abstract]
Freight revenues	$ 16,069,000,000	$ 13,373,000,000	$ 17,118,000,000
Other revenues	896,000,000	770,000,000	852,000,000
Total operating revenues	16,965,000,000	14,143,000,000	17,970,000,000
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Compensation and benefits	4,314,000,000	4,063,000,000	4,457,000,000
Fuel	2,486,000,000	1,763,000,000	3,983,000,000
Purchased services and materials	1,836,000,000	1,644,000,000	1,928,000,000
Depreciation	1,487,000,000	1,427,000,000	1,366,000,000
Equipment and other rents	1,142,000,000	1,180,000,000	1,326,000,000
Other	719,000,000	687,000,000	840,000,000
Total operating expenses	11,984,000,000	10,764,000,000	13,900,000,000
Operating income	4,981,000,000	3,379,000,000	4,070,000,000
Other income (Note 6)	54,000,000	195,000,000	92,000,000
Interest expense	(602,000,000)	(600,000,000)	(511,000,000)
Income before income taxes	4,433,000,000	2,974,000,000	3,651,000,000
Income taxes (Note 7)	(1,653,000,000)	(1,084,000,000)	(1,316,000,000)
Net income	2,780,000,000	1,890,000,000	2,335,000,000
Share and Per Share (Note 8) [Abstract]
Earnings per share - basic	5.58	3.76	4.57
Earnings per share - diluted	$ 5.53	$ 3.74	$ 4.53
Weighted average number of shares - basic	498.2	503.0	510.6
Weighted average number of shares - diluted	502.9	505.8	515.0
Dividends declared per share	$ 1.31	$ 1.08	$ 0.98

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Current assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,086	$ 1,850
Accounts receivable, net (Note 10)	1,184	666
Materials and supplies	534	475
Current deferred income taxes (Note 7)	261	339
Other current assets	367	350
Total current assets	3,432	3,680
Investments	1,137	1,036
Net properties (Note 11)	38,253	37,202
Other assets	266	266
Total assets	43,088	42,184
Current liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts payable and other current liabilities (Note 12)	2,713	2,470
Debt due within one year (Note 14)	239	212
Total current liabilities	2,952	2,682
Debt due after one year (Note 14)	9,003	9,636
Deferred income taxes (Note 7)	11,557	11,044
Other long-term liabilities	$ 1,813	2,021
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 16 and 17)
Total liabilities	$ 25,325	25,383
Common shareholders' equity [Abstract]
Common shares, $2.50 par value, 800,000,000 authorized; 553,931,181 and 553,497,981 issued; 491,565,880 and 505,039,952 outstanding, respectively	1,385	1,384
Paid-in-surplus	3,985	3,968
Retained earnings	17,154	15,027
Treasury stock	(4,027)	(2,924)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (Note 9)	(734)	(654)
Total common shareholders' equity	17,763	16,801
Total liabilities and common shareholders' equity	$ 43,088	$ 42,184

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Parentheticals) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Parentheticals) [Abstract]
Common shares, par value	$ 2.50	$ 2.50
Common shares authorized	800,000,000	800,000,000
Common shares issued	553,931,181	553,497,981
Common shares outstanding	491,565,880	505,039,952

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net income	$ 775	$ 549	$ 2,780	$ 1,890	$ 2,335
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities [Abstract]
Depreciation			1,487	1,427	1,366
Deferred income taxes and unrecognized tax benefits			672	718	545
Net gain on non-operating asset dispositions			(25)	(162)	(41)
Other operating activities, net			(458)	(376)	89
Changes in current assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts receivable, net			(518)	(72)	38
Materials and supplies.			(59)	(25)	3
Other current assets			(17)	(106)	51
Accounts payable and other current liabilities			243	(90)	(342)
Cash provided by operating activities			4,105	3,204	4,044
Investing Activities [Abstract]
Capital investments			(2,482)	(2,354)	(2,754)
Proceeds from asset sales			67	187	93
Acquisition of equipment pending financing			0	(100)	(388)
Proceeds from sale of assets financed			0	100	388
Other investing activities, net			(73)	22	(77)
Cash used in investing activities			(2,488)	(2,145)	(2,738)
Financing Activities [Abstract]
Debt issued			894	843	2,257
Common share repurchases (Note 18)			(1,249)	0	(1,609)
Debt repaid			(1,412)	(871)	(1,208)
Dividends paid			(602)	(544)	(481)
Other financing activities, net			(12)	114	106
Cash used in financing activities			(2,381)	(458)	(935)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents			(764)	601	371
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			1,850	1,249	878
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	1,086	1,850	1,086	1,850	1,249
Non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Capital lease financings			0	842	175
Cash dividends declared but not yet paid	$ 183	$ 132	183	132	132
Capital investments accrued but not yet paid			125	96	93
Settlement of current liabilities for debt			0	14	0
Cash paid during the year for [Abstract]
Interest, net of amounts capitalized			(614)	(578)	(500)
Income taxes, net of refunds			$ (936)	$ (452)	$ (699)

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Mar. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance		$ 16,801		$ 15,315	$ 16,801	$ 15,315	$ 15,456
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 775	$ 516	$ 549	$ 362	2,780	1,890	2,335
Other comp. income/(loss)					(80)	50	(630)
Total comp. income/(loss) (Note 9)					2,700	1,940	1,705
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other					164	90	182
Share repurchases (Note 18)					$ (1,249)	$ 0	(1,527)
Share repurchases (Note 18) (shares)	(2,500,596)	0	0	0	(16,640,396)	0
Cash dividends declared					$ (653)	$ (544)	(501)
Stockholders' equity, ending balance	$ 17,763		$ 16,801		$ 17,763	$ 16,801	$ 15,315
Common Stock (Units) [Member]
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Common shares, beginning balance		553,500,000		552,800,000	553,500,000	552,800,000	552,300,000
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other (shares)					400,000	700,000	500,000
Share repurchases (Note 18) (shares)					0	0	0
Common shares, ending balance	553,900,000		553,500,000		553,900,000	553,500,000	552,800,000
Treasury Stock (Units) [Member]
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Common shares, beginning balance		(48,500,000)		(49,600,000)	(48,500,000)	(49,600,000)	(30,600,000)
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other (shares)					2,800,000	1,100,000	3,200,000
Share repurchases (Note 18) (shares)					(16,600,000)	0	(22,200,000)
Common shares, ending balance	(62,300,000)		(48,500,000)		(62,300,000)	(48,500,000)	(49,600,000)
Common Stock [Member]
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance		$ 1,384		$ 1,382	$ 1,384	$ 1,382	$ 1,381
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net income					0	0	0
Other comp. income/(loss)					0	0	0
Total comp. income/(loss) (Note 9)					0	0	0
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other					1	2	1
Share repurchases (Note 18)					0	0	0
Cash dividends declared					0	0	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance	$ 1,385		$ 1,384		1,385	1,384	1,382
Paid-in-Surplus [Member]
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance		3,968		3,949	3,968	3,949	3,926
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net income					0	0	0
Other comp. income/(loss)					0	0	0
Total comp. income/(loss) (Note 9)					0	0	0
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other					17	19	23
Share repurchases (Note 18)					0	0	0
Cash dividends declared					0	0	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance	3,985		3,968		3,985	3,968	3,949
Retained Earnings [Member]
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance		15,027		13,681	15,027	13,681	11,847
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net income					2,780	1,890	2,335
Other comp. income/(loss)					0	0	0
Total comp. income/(loss) (Note 9)					2,780	1,890	2,335
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other					0	0	0
Share repurchases (Note 18)					0	0	0
Cash dividends declared					(653)	(544)	(501)
Stockholders' equity, ending balance	17,154		15,027		17,154	15,027	13,681
Treasury Stock [Member]
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance		(2,924)		(2,993)	(2,924)	(2,993)	(1,624)
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net income					0	0	0
Other comp. income/(loss)					0	0	0
Total comp. income/(loss) (Note 9)					0	0	0
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other					146	69	158
Share repurchases (Note 18)					(1,249)	0	(1,527)
Cash dividends declared					0	0	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance	(4,027)		(2,924)		(4,027)	(2,924)	(2,993)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Note 9) [Member]
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Line Items]
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance		$ (654)		$ (704)	(654)	(704)	(74)
Comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net income					0	0	0
Other comp. income/(loss)					(80)	50	(630)
Total comp. income/(loss) (Note 9)					(80)	50	(630)
Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other					0	0	0
Share repurchases (Note 18)					0	0	0
Cash dividends declared					0	0	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance	$ (734)		$ (654)		$ (734)	$ (654)	$ (704)

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Parentheticals) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Cash dividends [Abstract]
Cash dividends declared per share	$ 1.31	$ 1.08	$ 0.98

Nature of Operations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2010

Nature of Operations [Abstract]

Nature Of Operations [Text Block]

For purposes of this report, unless the context otherwise requires, all references herein to the “Corporation”, “UPC”, “we”, “us”, and “our” mean Union Pacific Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Union Pacific Railroad Company, which will be separately referred to herein as “UPRR” or the “Railroad”.

1. Nature of Operations

Operations and Segmentation – We are a Class I railroad that operates in the U.S. We have 31,953 route miles, linking Pacific Coast and Gulf Coast ports with the Midwest and eastern U.S. gateways and providing several corridors to key Mexican gateways. We serve the western two-thirds of the country and maintain coordinated schedules with other rail carriers for the handling of freight to and from the Atlantic Coast, the Pacific Coast, the Southeast, the Southwest, Canada, and Mexico. Export and import traffic is moved through Gulf Coast and Pacific Coast ports and across the Mexican and Canadian borders.

The Railroad, along with its subsidiaries and rail affiliates, is our one reportable operating segment. Although revenues are analyzed by commodity group, we analyze the net financial results of the Railroad as one segment due to the integrated nature of our rail network. The following table provides revenue by commodity group:

Millions		2010		2009		2008
Agricultural	$	3,018	$