NARP Blog

Thursday, April 30, 2009

So said Shakespeare centuries ago—and its still valid. Tomorrow, May 1, is my last day as Vice President of the National Association of Railroad Passengers. I begin work next Wednesday for the Maryland Transit Administration’s MARC Commuter Rail system. I will be the Penn and Camden Line Trainmaster, responsible for many things, including station maintenance, customer service, and the MTA Operations Center. I will be working closely with Amtrak and CSX Transportation—who operate the Penn and Camden line respectively for MARC—to ensure that our trains move safely and on-time.

I was thrilled that one of my final responsibilities was to help support our best Capitol Hill Day and Annual Congressional Reception ever, on April 21. It was also satisfying to see that the first meeting of the NARP Council of Representatives (April 20-22) was such a success, including both exceptional outside speakers and an outstanding series of “Hill reports” by Council members.

I asked our reception photographer, Charlotte Richardson, to take a picture of the NARP Staff:

The NARP staff (l. to r., back to front): Director of Finance and Administration Doug Kidd, Vice President David Johnson, Communications Director Sean Jeans Gail, Coordinator of Resource Development Tiffanie Childs, President and CEO Ross Capon, and Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee Administrator Kate Warr.

While I am excited about my new opportunity with MARC, it is with “sweet sorrow” that I leave NARP. The NARP staff are the best co-workers anyone could ask for. They are hard-working and dedicated to our cause. Ross Capon is not only a “living legend” widely respected and quoted here in Washington, but an exceptional boss and good friend. I will miss all of you very much!

It’s a bit ironic that I am leaving on May 1. Not only is it Amtrak’s birthday, but Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman has declared it “Amtrak Employee Appreciation Day”. I think that’s illustrative of how far passenger train advocacy has come since I came back to NARP full-time in October 2003 (I interned twice in college). What at one time was an almost daily discussion of whether Amtrak will survive to see another day has been replaced by an optimism and goal by Mr. Boardman, President Obama, and others to grow and expand passenger trains in the United States.

Thank you, NARP members, for your financial support which makes our work possible and for the countless hours of volunteer work you do to advance our cause. I know that NARP has a bright future and look forward to watching it grow and prosper.

—Dave Johnson

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NARP blog

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Posted by NARP

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