12 pages is nothing. Go work on the CSX. Wasn't uncommon for 20+ pages filled with work orders, slow orders, restricted speed orders, reduced speed orders, hot journal detectors, etc.
Prior to going out to the train, the conductors will visit the yardmaster, or the train masters office, or clerk, get his orders, and then the whole crew sits down and reviews them. Highlighters were usually used to mark pertinent info, such as slow orders, or work areas where you had to stop your train, and ask permission to proceed.
Once you've done it for awhile, you get so familiar with the routes, that you know most of this stuff by heart. Railroads don't fix things as fast as you would think, unless it is a real threat to the revenue. Many slow orders stay up for months on end. Of course, that varies from railroad to railroad. Only events like the parade/event bulletin as posted above, would stick out and would be on all the crews minds, especially in light of the tragic results of Midland.
Even while a crew is on the road, they are constantly flipping through their orders to make sure they didn't miss anything, and they give verbal reminders to each other. On CSX, it was manatory practice to announce all signals, indications, entering slow orders, entering work territory, or passing hot box detectors over the radio. This way, everyone knew where and what you were doing.
I hope this helps. I'm sure UP has similar things, and then they have their own practices, as only certain aspects are universal across roads.
Manny