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At its annual meeting last week, the Vermont Rail Action Network presented the Jim Jefford's Award to RailAmerica Inc. Assistant Vice President of Government Affairs Charles Hunter and the Herb Ogden Award to Amtrak Conductor Mike Kujula.

The organization recognized Hunter for conceiving and helping to prepare grant applications that landed $52 million in federal funds to upgrade the New England Central Railroad, which hosts Amtrak's Vermonter service. He also helped ensure that RailAmerica completed the project before any other federal stimulus-funded project in the nation, Vermont Rail Action Network officials said in a prepared statement, adding that Hunter is committed to the state's rail network.

The organization recognized Kujula for his "friendly, helpful and attentive" demeanor as a longtime Amtrak conductor, a career that spans 23 years on the national intercity passenger railroad's Vermonter and Montrealer services.

"He has quite a fan club among regular riders and is a large part of what makes the Vermonter service as nice as it is," Vermont Rail Action Network officials said.

Also during the annual meeting, attendees addressed the need to improve passenger-rail service in Vermont's western corridor from Bennington to Burlington, including the extension of Ethan Allen service to Vermont's largest city.

The Vermont Rail System, which operates freight-rail service on the western corridor, supports Amtrak and "will do everything we can to help get it to Burlington," said President David Wulfson.