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Properties (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 43,330	$ 43,596
Accumulated Depreciation	(11,985)	(11,982)
Net Book Value	31,345	31,614
Land
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	2,394	2,385
Accumulated Depreciation	0	0
Net Book Value	$ 2,394	$ 2,385
Depreciation Rate	0.00%	0.00%
Rail and other track material
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 7,153	$ 7,024
Accumulated Depreciation	(1,892)	(1,905)
Net Book Value	$ 5,261	$ 5,119
Depreciation Rate	2.35%	2.30%
Ties
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 5,685	$ 5,536
Accumulated Depreciation	(1,601)	(1,496)
Net Book Value	$ 4,084	$ 4,040
Depreciation Rate	3.41%	3.37%
Ballast
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 2,973	$ 2,868
Accumulated Depreciation	(774)	(723)
Net Book Value	$ 2,199	$ 2,145
Depreciation Rate	2.76%	2.72%
Construction in process
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 297	$ 360
Accumulated Depreciation	0	0
Net Book Value	$ 297	$ 360
Depreciation Rate	0.00%	0.00%
Other roadway
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 14,320	$ 14,261
Accumulated Depreciation	(3,926)	(3,786)
Net Book Value	$ 10,394	$ 10,475
Depreciation Rate	2.71%	2.71%
Total roadway
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 30,428	$ 30,049
Accumulated Depreciation	(8,193)	(7,910)
Net Book Value	22,235	22,139
Locomotives
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	5,478	5,973
Accumulated Depreciation	(1,911)	(2,112)
Net Book Value	$ 3,567	$ 3,861
Depreciation Rate	3.56%	3.66%
Freight cars
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 2,780	$ 2,988
Accumulated Depreciation	(1,023)	(1,148)
Net Book Value	$ 1,757	$ 1,840
Depreciation Rate	2.59%	2.45%
Computers and software
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 732	$ 732
Accumulated Depreciation	(391)	(355)
Net Book Value	$ 341	$ 377
Depreciation Rate	9.86%	9.68%
Construction in process
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 333	$ 291
Accumulated Depreciation	0	0
Net Book Value	$ 333	$ 291
Depreciation Rate	0.00%	0.00%
Other equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 1,094	$ 1,082
Accumulated Depreciation	(399)	(388)
Net Book Value	$ 695	$ 694
Depreciation Rate	4.70%	4.89%
Total equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 10,417	$ 11,066
Accumulated Depreciation	(3,724)	(4,003)
Net Book Value	6,693	7,063
Other property
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	91	96
Accumulated Depreciation	(68)	(69)
Net Book Value	$ 23	$ 27
Depreciation Rate	2.24%	1.05%

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