Union Pacific Dispatching Director's Book Teaches Rail Safety

A book written by Deb Ashworth, director-train management at Union Pacific's Harriman Dispatching Center in Omaha, and her daughter aims to teach young Nebraskans about the Cornhusker State's rich history as well as also railroad safety.

Ashworth and her daughter, Peru State College education major Marcy Dorram, teamed up to create "The Adventures of LaVerne & Shirley in Nebraska." Intended for fourth-graders, the book stars Ashworth's pet schnauzers, who act as secret agents on a trip to western Nebraska. Along the way, the duo learns about the state, railroad safety and fourth-grade Nebraska curriculum.

Ashworth and other volunteers read the book to Bellevue School District students, who also were encouraged to participate in a poster contest. Using their new rail safety knowledge, they drew a poster illustrating how LaVerne and Shirley should act safely around trains and railroad tracks.

Ashworth hopes to convince the Nebraska Department of Education to include the book in its required curriculum and will create an activity book that encourages more interaction between teachers and students to further reinforce rail safety.

The book will be available for purchase from Amazon.com.