Joe and Others:
I suggest you find copies of the December 1988 and January 1989 now
defunct Passenger Train Journal. Inside is a forty page history written
by yours truly and devoted to the post World War 2 era to nearly the end
of the E units. The ownership issue is discussed in some detail.
Since the issues are difficult to locate, I will give you a shorten version.
The BN provides service under contract to METRA. Employees and original
equipment belonged to BN. Replacement equipment, locomotives and, I
believe, some rolling stock is METRA owned. So, the cars covered in the
original agreement and the E units were BN owned. The replacement
locomotives and new cars are METRA owned. The employees are now people
BNSF employees.
When the financial burden of remaining in business buried the MILW and
Rock Island, METRA purchased the physical plant, equipment, and hired
the people to make it work. ICG and N&W worked out similar agreements.
UP (C&NW) has similar agreements to BNSF.
I hope that satisfies your curiosity. Sorry Joe, but nostalgia is not a
subject in vogue in our Business Schools.
Ed DeRouin
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