The Southern Pacific Police Department was started in 1878 and continued until merging with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1995. The Union Pacific absorbed the Southern Pacific Police Department into their Security and Special Services Department. At the time of the merger, the Southern Pacific had approximately 126 men working over the 13 states that the railroad ran in.

A little bit of history of the Department in Utah.

The Department investigated accidents involving train/car, train derailments, thefts from the railroad or cargo being transported, inspected all military shipments, and were certified by each state the Department had men in.
In 1986, the Great Salt Lake rose and washed out the tracks of the Southern Pacific across the lake and the Legislature authorized the building of large pumps on the west side of the lake in an attempt to lower the level. The Southern Pacific Police Department furnished officers for police protection at Lakeside, Box Elder County and Hogup area where the pumps were constructed. Because of the distance for Box Elder County Sheriff's Department to come for any investigation, the Southern Pacific Police performed these functions. We investigated accidents, both vehicle and personal along with thefts, intoxication, family disturbances (in the construction camps) and drugs. Because the pumps were constructed next to the railroad property and the construction camps were on railroad property as well, railroad rules and regulations concerning drug and alcohol use were enforced. Medical assistance was provided by stationing an EMT with ambulance at Hogup and the Police Officers furnished medical services at Lakeside until the road between Lakeside and Hogup was reopened. Air Med helicopter from the University of Utah was utilized several times for transport because of the distance from the construction camps to the nearest medical facility at Tooele, a distance of approximately 75 miles.
After the construction was finished, the SP Police resumed their regular duties in the rail yards at Ogden and along the rightóofóway between Clearfield and the Nevada border.
In 1988 the Southern Pacific merged with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and their officers in the DRGW Department was merged into the SP department. Officers continued to be sta-tioned at Ogden and also at Salt Lake City in Utah.
The biggest problem for the SP Police were the transients which made camps on railroad property and committed numerous minor crimes and some that were major, such as homicide. All these crimes that were committed on railroad property were investigated by the SP Police Department with backing from other agencies, such as Box Elder County SO, Weber Co SO, Ogden City Police & other jurisdictions.

Since the merger with the Union Pacific Railroad, the Police Department continues to investigate crimes committed on railroad property or concerning the railroad.
 

This should give you a little history and information about the Railroad Police.

James W. Alexander, Special Agent, Southern Pacific Police (retired)