Why didn't the MTA contract out operation of Metro-North?

Jersey_Mike wrote:I guess it was implied, but prior to 1983 MNRR was contracted out to Conrail, as were the operations of NJDoT and SEPTA. Because Conrail was still nationalized and losing money at the time the Republicans in the White House and Congress felt that the contract commuter services were in effect a subsidy to Democratic northeastern cities and their unionized labor forces. Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 forced Conrail out of the role of contract..

Prior to 1983 there was no Metro North. Conrail was formed by the fed's after Penn Central bellied up. It was later that they received subsidiaries from the state to keep them going.

It was then that Metro North was formed by the MTA as operator.

What became Metro North in 1983 was known as Metropolitan division of Penn Central and later Conrail, it was fully funded by MTA.
a lot of funding for maintenance seem to have disappeared during the Penn Central and Conrail days.

I guess it was implied, but prior to 1983 MNRR was contracted out to Conrail, as were the operations of NJDoT and SEPTA. Because Conrail was still nationalized and losing money at the time the Republicans in the White House and Congress felt that the contract commuter services were in effect a subsidy to Democratic northeastern cities and their unionized labor forces. Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 forced Conrail out of the role of contract commuter rail operator and because this was before multi-national transport services companies existed the only option for the transportation agencies was to go with Amtrak or do it themselves and they chose to do it themselves.

Just as a note, Conrail was making a profit at the time. That's one reason the fedal government sold it off. It was one of the only federalentity to ever make a profit,

One point which no one posted was that the MTA already had extensive experience running a commuter railway. They acquired the LIRR from PRR about 15 years before Conrail was allowed to get out of passenger service, in 1983.

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:Conrail - southside-only, 1976-77 (transitional after end of Penn Central ownership+subsidy era)
Boston & Maine / Guilford - northside-only 1976-77 (transitional from B&M ownership+subsidy era), systemwide 1977-1988
Amtrak - 1988-2004
MBCR (Veolia, Bombardier, Alternative Concepts partnership) - 2004-2014
Keolis - July 2014-

In c. 1988, the B&M was actively trying to sabotage the new Amtrak service by dispatching freight trains in front of commuter trains where they still controlled dispatching.