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Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]    
Sites identified which we are or may be liable for remediation costs 274unp_SitesIdentified  
Sites subject of actions taken by the U.S. government 29unp_SitesSubjectOfActionsTakenByUsGovernment  
Sites on the Superfund National Priorities List 16unp_SitesOnSuperfundNationalPrioritiesList  
Future minimum lease payments $ 3,600,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue  
Personal Injury [Member]    
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]    
Percent of liability recorded related to asserted claims 93.00%unp_RecordedLiabilityRelatedToAssertedClaims
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= unp_PersonalInjuryMember
 
Percent of liability recorded related to unasserted claims 7.00%unp_RecordedLiabilityRelatedToUnassertedClaims
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= unp_PersonalInjuryMember
 
Reasonably possible outcome of related claims, range minimum 299,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMinimum
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= unp_PersonalInjuryMember
 
Reasonably possible outcome of related claims, range maximum 327,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= unp_PersonalInjuryMember
 
Asbestos [Member]    
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]    
Percent of liability recorded related to asserted claims 22.00%unp_RecordedLiabilityRelatedToAssertedClaims
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_AsbestosIssueMember
 
Percent of liability recorded related to unasserted claims 78.00%unp_RecordedLiabilityRelatedToUnassertedClaims
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_AsbestosIssueMember
 
Guarantees [Member]    
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]    
Maximum potential amount of guarantee payments 78,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMember
82,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMember
Recorded liability for fair value of guarantees $ 5,200,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMember
$ 300,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMember
Expiration year of final guarantee The final guarantee expires in 2022