• Union Pacific

    Celebrating Union Pacific Railroad's 150th anniversary

Steampunk-inspired exhibit software and hardware helps tell the story of the growth of Union Pacific's rail lines

All Aboard

The railroad transformed America in unprecedented ways in the 19th century, and few companies were as responsible for westward expansion as Union Pacific. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the company, Ideum worked closely with the Union Pacific Railroad Museum to customize our Pro multitouch table and Presenter touch wall to fit within the 19th century aesthetic of the Building Communities exhibit at the museum.

Both the table and the touch wall were transformed through custom metallic paint, the addition of rivets, and etchings of the first version of the iconic Union Pacific shield logo that is synonymous with the railroad. The Pro‘s rolled aluminum pedestal was covered in a “hydro-dipped” woodgrain pattern, and a custom cut baseplate based on the UPRR shield.

A custom interactive map features the western United States, while highlighting UPRR’s rail lines and 32 communities. A slider allows users to move between the years 1869, 1948, and 2012 and experience how the rail lines expanded and shifted over the centuries. Each of the 32 towns highlighted on the map bring up a multitouch-enabled gallery of historic images involving Union Pacific’s activity in each community and an extended written history.

The custom Presenter is currently traveling the country as part of a mobile 150th anniversary exhibit in a converted baggage car, visiting many of the communities highlighted in the interactive map. The Pro is on view as a part of a much larger exhibit at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum.

Back To Projects