BNSF vs Metra?

[George K]

Riding home this afternoon from downtown Chicago on the BNSF west branch of Metra, I found myself in a new(er) car. Very nice, good ride, few squeaks and rattles.

Just before getting off, I asked the conductor if this was one of the refurbished cars that Metra announced a while ago, and he told me, "It'll be a long time before we see any of those. Metra gives us the leftovers."

(it turns out the car was a newer one, built in 2005, iirc)

What? I though you were Metra.

Sadly, I had to get off, but he gave me the distinct impression that Metra and BNSF are loosely related, and the commuter line I ride really isn't Metra.

How's that work?

 

[PerRock]

The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) manages the Metra commuter service; but the actual running of the trains (not counting the electric line*) is done by UP & BNSF. The RTA decides which line gets which equipment, manages ticket sales, advertising, etc. The host railroad maintains the track, drives the trains, collects the tickets, etc. BNSF & UP are essentially contractors.

*The electric line is fully run & managed by Metra.

peter

Additional: Most US commuter lines are done this way...

MBTA trains are run by Keolis, MARC by Bombardier, Sounder by BNSF, Metrolink by Amtrak, ACE by Herzog, CalTrain by TransitAmerica, SunRail by Bombardier, Tri-Rail by Veolia, TRE by Herzog, VRE by Keolis, RailRunner by Herzog, SLE by Amtrak, TriMet by P&W, NorthStar by BNSF, Coaster by Transit America, etc.

 

[John Bredin]

Nitpick: Metra directly operates not only the Electric Line but all the lines other than the BNSF and three UP lines; i.e., the two "Milwaukee" lines, Rock Island, Electric, North Central Service, Southwest Service, and Heritage Corridor.

As a regular UP (Northwest Line) commuter who's also ridden Metra's "own" lines, I can tell some stories about how UP runs Metra trains versus how Metra runs Metra trains. :blink: :giggle:

 

[George K]

I can tell some stories about how UP runs Metra trains versus how Metra runs Metra trains. :blink: :giggle:

OK, John. Spill it.

 

[NorthShore]

It used to be that you would run into old Rock Island and Milwaukee Road conductors who were grandfathered into Metra's operations on their original railroad lines. That was always fun. And they were typically quite proud of their old company's name. In fact, if you were wearing any clothing of those roads, they would stop to ask you about it and initiate the conversations.

 

[George K]

Perhaps off topic, but it's my thread so I don't care...

Interesting comment, NorthShore. Perhaps I'm reading between the lines, but I got the impression that you say there was a certain pride in the job back when the railroads were diverse, rather than being combined under one umbrella business.

I read, somewhere, how different trains have different personalities. My trip on the CZ was punctuated by a couple who talked about what a "party" train that used to be.

Rambling, but ... who cares?

 

[John Bredin]

Ok, three UP stories:

I mentioned this one in a thread on weather & trains, but UP would suspend service whenever Omaha saw on their weather screens that there was severe weather seemingly anywhere in the six counties. Metra's severe weather suspensions were more targeted. so there were several occasions when ALL service out of Ogilvie was suspended while Metra's own lines out of northern Union Station going through the same territory were still running. Metra fixed this last year by providing UP more localized weather data -- at Metra's expense.

A few years ago on a Saturday during Taste of Chicago, the UP train I was trying to catch was overfull, so they ran it express to Ogilvie. Fine, but they told us to take the next regular train in an hour. I drove to Glenview for the Metra Milwaukee North. The next train there also was overfull and ran express past us, but Metra ran an extra or second section a few minutes behind it instead of UP's "wait until the next scheduled train and hope it's not overfull too" approach.

This one is apocryphal, but when UP took over the C&NW lines, the ontime rate went to hell so a delegation of business leaders went to Omaha to impress on UP the need to keep to schedule. When the UP people made noises to the effect that "I understand you want your workers to get to work on time," they were surprised to hear back that, "no, WE want to get to work on time." Allegedly, it never occurred to UP that executive-level managers commute to the Loop from Lake Forest, Barrington, and the like. (There's still a private car from Lake Forest!)

 

[Ryan]

MARC by Bombardier

Brunswick and Camden lines, Amtrak runs the Penn line trains on the NEC.

 

[NorthShore]

Yeah, I think that's fair.

Even today, talk to some of the people who work the UP (ex CNW) or Burlington routes, (especially the long time employees.) They know who they work for. And it ain't Metra. Shucks, they may well have worked freight for years before ever even getting the commuter gig.

Perhaps off topic, but it's my thread so I don't care...

Interesting comment, NorthShore. Perhaps I'm reading between the lines, but I got the impression that you say there was a certain pride in the job back when the railroads were diverse, rather than being combined under one umbrella business.

I read, somewhere, how different trains have different personalities. My trip on the CZ was punctuated by a couple who talked about what a "party" train that used to be.

Rambling, but ... who cares?

 

[jis]

Additional: Most US commuter lines are done this way...

MBTA trains are run by Keolis, MARC by Bombardier, Sounder by BNSF, Metrolink by Amtrak, ACE by Herzog, CalTrain by TransitAmerica, SunRail by Bombardier, Tri-Rail by Veolia, TRE by Herzog, VRE by Keolis, RailRunner by Herzog, SLE by Amtrak, TriMet by P&W, NorthStar by BNSF, Coaster by Transit America, etc.

But the three biggest (LIRR, Metro North and NJ Transit) and a few others (e.g SEPTA) are not run that way. And oddly enough ConnDOT contracts with Metro north to run the New Haven Line, while Metro North contracts with NJTransit to run its West of Hudson service as well as for maintenance of tracks on many occasions.

And yeah as Ryan said, MARC is a mix of Bombardier and Amtrak. And as mentioned by others, quite a lot of METRA is run departmentally and not under contract by others too.

And one could say that MassDOT via MBTA contracts with Amtrak to maintain, dispatch and run service on the Massachusetts portion of the NEC, and provide trackage for MBTA trains to be run on by Keolis. Aren't cross contracts fun?

 

[Seaboard92]

I remember a while back reading about the MARC service. The station agents and train crew were provided by CSX on the Camden, and Brunswick lines. But that was probably before the contract switched

 

[John Bredin]

I mentioned this one in a thread on weather & trains, but UP would suspend service whenever Omaha saw on their weather screens that there was severe weather seemingly anywhere in the six counties. Metra's severe weather suspensions were more targeted. so there were several occasions when ALL service out of Ogilvie was suspended while Metra's own lines out of northern Union Station going through the same territory were still running. Metra fixed this last year by providing UP more localized weather data -- at Metra's expense.

I spoke too soon. In high winds today, the UP lines -- all three UP lines, and no other Metra lines though the two "Milwaukee" lines are between the UP lines -- suspended service at the beginning of the morning rush and left the schedule in tatters for the rest of the morning rush.

 

[railiner]

Additional: Most US commuter lines are done this way...

MBTA trains are run by Keolis, MARC by Bombardier, Sounder by BNSF, Metrolink by Amtrak, ACE by Herzog, CalTrain by TransitAmerica, SunRail by Bombardier, Tri-Rail by Veolia, TRE by Herzog, VRE by Keolis, RailRunner by Herzog, SLE by Amtrak, TriMet by P&W, NorthStar by BNSF, Coaster by Transit America, etc.

But the three biggest (LIRR, Metro North and NJ Transit) and a few others (e.g SEPTA) are not run that way. And oddly enough ConnDOT contracts with Metro north to run the New Haven Line, while Metro North contracts with NJTransit to run its West of Hudson service as well as for maintenance of tracks on many occasions.

And yeah as Ryan said, MARC is a mix of Bombardier and Amtrak. And as mentioned by others, quite a lot of METRA is run departmentally and not under contract by others too.

And one could say that MassDOT via MBTA contracts with Amtrak to maintain, dispatch and run service on the Massachusetts portion of the NEC, and provide trackage for MBTA trains to be run on by Keolis. Aren't cross contracts fun?

And what about NJT trains laying over at Sunnyside Yard? Does Amtrak or NJT handle them? or NJT Atlantic City trains at Philly?

 

[jis]

NJT handles them.

 

[railiner]

NJT handles them.

Maintenance too? Or just their operating crews bringing them there and back?