Does BNSF and UP make Money on Commuter Trains in Chicago?

[Eltraino3]

  Yes while BNSF and UP(CNW) probaly dont make much if anything on fares... Do they make money on there Gov. Contracts to run and lease track right of way to Metra/RTA (The Gov. Ageny that runs the back office)?

 And --Unlike most places BNSF and UP actualyy supply crews and railroad police to Metra rather then just leasing track.

[RABEL]

The BNSF and the  UP are not Charitable Organizations.

Metra in fact has their own Police.

[cacole]

If they weren't making money, they would probably ask the FRA to let them discontinue the service.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

STB would have jurisdiction in this matter, not the FRA.  I believe that both roads operate the suburban trains under a purchase-of-service contract with Metra.

[HarveyK400]

BNSF, UP and NICTD are the three Purchase of Service Agreement carriers.  The operation Revenue, Operating Expenditure, and Service Board Funding (operating assistance) from the RTA 2007 Annual Report, and my calculation of the Fare Recovery Ratio are shown below. 

                           Op. Rev.          Op. Exp.       Bd. Fund     Rec. Ratio

Union Pacific          $71,696         $159,810        $88,114         44.9

BNSF                      43,377            63,628         20,251          68.2

NICTD                      4,258              7,357          3,100          57.9

[HarveyK400]

Sorry I forgot to indicate the amounts are in millions.