SANDPOINT - Bonner County leaders rolled into Wily Widgeon Cafe by the dozens Wednesday afternoon to show appreciation for Union Pacific Railroad's community efforts.

Dan Harbeke, Union Pacific director of public relations, dropped by Sandpoint on a whirlwind tour of the Northwest to relate the railroad's investment plans for North Idaho.

"Whether we're talking about big communities or small communities, the railroad is often a large part of it," Harbeke said. "We want to make sure we're engaged with the communities we operate in."

Part of that means promoting community well-being through grants. Harbeke said that Union Pacific will be spreading almost $250,000 across the state. $145,000 of that sum will fund The Principals' Partnership education program in Idaho, while the remainder will go to Idaho nonprofits, nine of which are located in North Idaho.

"Over the last three or four years, we've grown our public funding," Harbeke said. "It just makes sense to invest in our communities."

Like most businesses, Union Pacific experienced a bumpy ride while weathering the national recession. With revenue on the rise this year at $16 billion, however, Harbeke said the company is focusing on bringing back furloughed employees, getting more trains on the tracks and investing in communities with grants. Between salaries for almost 1,000 employees, capital investment and in-state purchases, Harbeke said that Union Pacific spent $17 million in Idaho last year and plans to keep economic growth going strong.

"We really saw the bottom about two years ago," Harbeke said. "But now, we're getting back to those pre-recession levels."

That boost is partially due to businesses switching to rail for freight services. According to Harbeke, railroads offer comparable services to other freight systems at a far gentler environmental impact.

"We can ship one ton of freight over 500 miles using only one gallon of diesel," he said. "That's like your Hyundai getting 200 miles to the gallon."

Harbeke hopes that Union Pacific's improving business will be beneficial to both the company and Idaho. He encourages local non-profits focused on education, the arts or health and human services to visit http://www.up.com/found/grants.shtml and apply for a grant.

"We're eager to keep developing a personal relationship with North Idaho communities," he said. "It's just the right thing to do."