Metra and snow storms

Is there a certain amount of snow fall amount to cause Metra to shut down ? Do the freight RR's do the snow removal on the tracks and switches for them?

In the years I have commuted on BNSF, I have never had it shut down completely.

There have been delays--frozen switches and the like. Also, remember that crews have to get to the trains. But that would only affect specific trains.

I don't ever recall Metra or its predicessors ever shutting down because of snow.

Who is responsible? Whoever owns the tracks. BNSF and UP supply service under contract, so fixing things is their responsibility. The other lines are owned by Metra, so they do the work.

There seems to be enough traffic on the lines to keep the snow from accumulating too much. I don't think there's ever so much snow around here that a train wouldn't be able to just run through. Locomotives have plows for a reason. The only snow removal equipment I ever see is those switch blowers that they use in the yards. Most mainline and terminal switches have automatic heaters. Metra or city employees usually clear the platforms, or maybe UP or BNSF employees on those lines. Contractors do the parking lots.

Didn't ride past A2 today, but during snow/ice storms, the switch heaters are literally kept burning with small flames darting out of the contact points. Primitive, but it keeps things moving...