National Association of Railroad Passengers: www.narprail.org

NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon

Ross Capon joined the staff of the National Association of Railroad Passenger (NARP) in 1975, and became executive director in 1976.  Mr. Capon’s duties as executive director of the only national organization advocating for the users of passenger trains and rail transit include testifying before Congress and working with members of Congress to increase funding for passenger rail service; briefing the media on passenger rail issues; and coordinating among state and regional associations of railroad passengers on local issues that affect passenger rail.

Under Mr. Capon’s leadership, NARP’s membership has grown to over 23,000, and the organization has achieved a level of recognition and credibility that results in frequent invitations to comment on railroad policy at Congressional hearings, administrative proceedings, and public conferences. Mr. Capon helped establish the Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Safety Award that the family of Dr. Gary Burch presents annually to a railroad employee judged to have done the most to improve the safety of railroad passengers.  Capon also helped establish Amtrak’s Customer Advisory Committee. 

A recognized expert on passenger rail, Mr. Capon is a member of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, the Transportation Research Board’s Committee on Intercity Passenger Rail Systems, and the board of Travelers Aid International.  His many speaking appearances have included such forums as Amtrak’s Customer Advisory Committee; Railway Supply Institute; American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials’ Standing Committee on Rail Transportation; American Public Transportation Association Rail Transit Conferences; Society of Government Economists; and the Transportation Research Forum.  He was a presenter at the 3rd World Congress on High Speed Rail in Berlin. 

Previously, Mr. Capon served as special assistant for Railroad Operations in the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts where he helped save the commuter rail network of Eastern Massachusetts.  He also worked in Philadelphia for the Religious Society of Friends.

He received the Association’s George Falcon Golden Spike Award in 1985.  In 2000, the Intermodal Passenger Institute honored Capon by presenting him its second annual Robert K. Pattison Partnership Award.

Mr. Capon received his B.A. from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) in 1969.  A native of Newton, Massachusetts, Mr. Capon lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife Louise and their three sons. A married daughter lives in Arlington, Virginia.