This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Union Pacific Railroad celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and is seeking aspiring filmmakers to give a 2012 twist to its 1970s commercial, "We Can Handle It."
Contestants can access information, rules, sheet music to the ad's "Great Big Rollin' Railroad" theme song, and more at http://www.up150.com. A recent release from Union Pacific Corp. encouraged participants to infuse a new flavor — whether it be blues, reggae, pop, country, rock, hip hop, rap or jazz — into the old but inspirational lyrics.
In the original television spot, railroad employees clapped their hands and stomped their feet as they offered heartfelt and sometimes off-key renditions of the "Great Big Rollin' Railroad," a tune that continues to strike a chord in certain sectors today. The ringtone has been downloaded more than 100,000 times.
Contestants must be 18 or older and need to submit entries by July 1. The grand prize winner will come away with $15,000, two finalists $5,000 apiece and six runners-up $1,000 each.
More than 7,300 communities in the Western two-thirds of the United States either took root because of the railroad or were touched by its influence, according to the company. So, Union Pacific also is asking people to share their personal stories at http://www.up150.com and to broadcast them via Facebook and Twitter.
On July 1, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act, giving rise to the original Union Pacific. Today, the publicly traded corporation serves many of the country's fast-growing population centers in 23 states.
Union Pacific operates a rail network that connects West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to Eastern gateways, also linking to Canada's rail systems and six major Mexico gateways.