BNSF RACETRACK

ON THE BNSF RACETRACK(BNSF METRA LINE), WHY ARE THE EMPLOYEES ONBOARD METRA TRAINS SUCH AS CONDUCTORS AND ENGINEERS EMPLOYED BY BNSF, WHILE ON ALMOST EVERY OTHER METRA DISTRICT, THEY ARE METRA EMPLOYEES?
AND I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED THIS, TO GET EMPLOYED ON THE BNSF RACETRACK, METRA SAID YOU APPLY ON BNSF'S WEBSITE, AND WAS WONDERING, WHEN DOES BNSF HIRE METRA TRAIN CREWS' AND WHAT WILL THE POSITION TITLE BE, SUCH AS COMMUTER CONDUCTOR, METRA CONDUCTOR, AND IN WHICH LOCATION WOULD THE JOB POSTING BE LOCATED, CHICAGO OR AURORA?
THANK YOU.

First Mr Training, decorum at this site calls for postings to be made using lower case, except of course where Upper Case is customarily used, i.e. the first letter of a sentence.

Now to address your question; BNSF and METRA have a contract with one another that is different from several other METRA lines. This contract is what is known as a Purchase of Service Agreement, or POSA. Union Pacific (C&NW) have a similar agreement with one another; the other METRA lines such as Rock Island and Milwaukee a wholly owned by METRA commuter railroad, Northern Illinois Commuter Railroad operates the service.

Operating Employees (T&E), Shop Craft, Police, even clerical employees performing Revenue Accounting activities are all employed by BNSF and are covered by Labor Agreements negotiated between BNSF and their representatives.

If you reside "on-line" and use the service, as do I, you will note that BNSF clearly has an identity with the service. I like to think that is why most consider the service to be "a cut above' the exemplary service METRA offers elsewhere. You could say that the trains are the successors to to the Chiefs and Zephyrs - and, just like the predecessors noted, these trains represent the BNSF. Any of the cars that were acquired by CB&Q or BN continue to be marked with a BNSF "Flash Gordon" logo. The locomotives and newer cars were acquired directly by METRA and they choose not to have them so marked. However, in keeping with the "turnkey" nature of a POSA, there is a lease between METRA, as Lessor, and BNSF, as Lessee, for such equipment.

The contract between BNSF and METRA calls for numerous train and service performance provisions, including on time performance, passenger complaints having foundation, and even new business being attracted to the service.

As I noted above, similar provisions apply in the agreement between METRA and UP.