WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has again extended the mediation process for Union Pacific and Metra as they try to work out the details of the transfer of Metra operation on three UP-owned routes.
The board granted UP’s request — agreed to by Metra — to extend the mediation period through Jan. 31, 2025. The STB initially ordered mediation in August [see “Regulators order UP, Metra to mediation,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 16, 2024]. That order was to have expired in October, but the board granted an extension to November because of delays in scheduling the first in-person mediation session. It was extended again in November to include another scheduled session earlier this month.
UP’s filing says the two parties “remain actively engaged” in mediation, and have agreed to an exchange of information in advance of another mediation session in January. It also says the participation of the board-appointed mediators “has been an important factor in advancing the parties’ efforts to resolve this matter amicably.”
The initial request for mediation — made by UP, and opposed by Metra — said the parties had been unable to agree to certain financial terms regarding Metra assuming operation on the UP North, Northwest, and West lines. UP has sought for some time to exit the service under its current terms, which see UP provides crews, maintenance and other dedicated commuter-service workers under a purchase-of-service agreement.
