More info from Railway Age.
https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/co ... annel=news
The Chicago commuter rail agency said UP is “severely damaging Metra’s bottom line, reputation and customer experience by an ‘arbitrary and capricious’ refusal to deploy its conductors” on the three lines it owns and operates (UP North, Northwest and West) under a Purchase of Service Agreement (PSA).
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and a permanent injunction demanding that “UP conductors and onboard personnel resume carrying out all of their required duties, which include selling and validating all tickets and making repeated passes through the cars to assist customers and promote orderly conduct,” the agency said.
“We strongly disagree with how Union Pacific Railroad has been operating commuter service,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said. “We have given UP management numerous opportunities to provide the necessary level of service as on our other lines, but they have refused to address these issues in any meaningful way and have left us no recourse but to seek relief through the courts.”
Under the PSA, UP is obligated “to collect fares and validate tickets on the trains, operate the trains in accordance with state and federal safety standards, and follow its own practices and procedures,” Metra said. “UP’s own practices and procedures dictate that it is ‘critically important that trainmen make repeated passes through their assigned cars throughout the trip, in order to detect and observe medical emergencies, passengers needing assistance or information, the general orderly conduct of the train, and fare collection.’”
"Look down, step over, and watch the gap!" - Dr. John Clarke, The Gap Rap (2010)
