<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-02-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100885</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UNION PACIFIC CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UNP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200009</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KNIGHT ROBERT M JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1400 DOUGLAS STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OMAHA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68179</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP FINANCE &amp; CFO UPC</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22212</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>195687</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11105</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>206792</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40267.5162</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>(1)</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>206.1597</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Managed Account</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>47.28</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>92646</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-02-05</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-02-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>92646</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>92646</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Performance retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a three year vesting period from the grant date. The amount of shares in column 4 is the maximum number of shares that the reporting person is eligible to receive. The actual number of shares paid out at vesting, if any, depends on applicable performance criteria being met.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a four year vesting period from grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents conversion of restricted stock units to fully vested stock units with a distribution ratio of 1:1 - Payable only in shares of common stock at termination of employment or a date certain.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes holdings in employee benefit plans, Tax Reduction and Payroll Based Stock Plans, as of Transaction Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">This option becomes exercisable in three equal installments starting one year from the grant date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Trevor L. Kingston, Attorney-in-Fact  For: Robert M. Knight Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-02-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgardoc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9171}]
X0303
4
2009-02-05
0
0000100885
UNION PACIFIC CORP
UNP
0001200009
KNIGHT ROBERT M JR
1400 DOUGLAS STREET
OMAHA
NE
68179
0
1
0
0
EVP FINANCE & CFO UPC
Common Stock
2009-02-05
4
A
0
22212
0
A
195687
D
Common Stock
2009-02-05
4
A
0
11105
0
A
206792
D
Common Stock
40267.5162
I
(1)
Common Stock
206.1597
I
by Managed Account
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
47.28
2009-02-05
4
A
0
92646
0
A
2010-02-05
2019-02-05
Common Stock
92646
92646
D
Performance retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a three year vesting period from the grant date. The amount of shares in column 4 is the maximum number of shares that the reporting person is eligible to receive. The actual number of shares paid out at vesting, if any, depends on applicable performance criteria being met.
Retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a four year vesting period from grant date.
Represents conversion of restricted stock units to fully vested stock units with a distribution ratio of 1:1 - Payable only in shares of common stock at termination of employment or a date certain.
Includes holdings in employee benefit plans, Tax Reduction and Payroll Based Stock Plans, as of Transaction Date.
This option becomes exercisable in three equal installments starting one year from the grant date.
By: Trevor L. Kingston, Attorney-in-Fact  For: Robert M. Knight Jr.
2009-02-09