advertisement

---

George Warrington
Former Amtrak President and New Jersey Transit Executive Director George Warrington died Dec. 24 in Mendham, N.J., ending an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 55.

While working as a commissioner’s assistant for the New Jersey Department of Transportation in the 1970s, Warrington helped create NJ Transit, which assumed commuter-rail operations from Penn Central and other bankrupt railroads. He became vice president and general manager of the transit agency’s rail operations in 1980, then left in 1992 to become executive director of the Delaware River Port Authority.

From 1994 to 2002, Warrington served Amtrak, including four years as president and chief executive officer. He presided over Amtrak’s introduction of Acela high-speed service in the Northeast, dealt with Acela’s numerous operational problems and butted heads with congressmen on annual appropriation issues.

In 2002, Warrington rejoined NJ Transit as executive director. During his tenure, the agency added 100 trains to its schedule, created thousands of additional parking spaces, improved on-time performance and introduced multi-level trains. Warrington resigned in January 2007 to co-found a consulting and lobbying firm.

Among his career accomplishments: helping convince New York politicians to back a regional funding commitment for the $7.5 billion Access to the Region’s Core project, which calls for building a rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River linking New Jersey and New York City to double trans-Hudson rail capacity for NJ Transit and Amtrak.

Warrington also was a “friend of labor [and] forceful advocate for rail,” said United Transportation Union New Jersey State Legislative Director Dan O’Connell in a prepared statement. “He will be missed.”

An avid New York Yankees fan, Warrington also loved the New York Rangers — so much so that he had a tattoo of the hockey team’s logo on his arm.

Warrington is survived by his wife, Hope, a son and two step-daughters.

Donald Hogan Jr.
A manufacturers’ representative for dozens of rail industry suppliers — as well as a former Notre Dame football star and passionate Fighting Irish fan — Donald Hogan Jr. died Dec. 6. He was 63.

Owner of Donald J. Hogan & Co., he represented many maintenance-of-way equipment and service providers over the years, including J.F. Brennan Inc., Delta Railroad Construction, Marta Track Constructors, Railquip Inc. and Harsco Track Technologies, which he was associated with for more than 20 years.

“Don was a great friend and a true railroad salesman,” said Progressive Railroading Associate Publisher Richard Zemencik, who knew Hogan for many years.

Hogan also was a great college football player. As a sophomore, he was Notre Dame’s leading rusher in 1962.

But after being seriously injured in a car accident, he wasn’t able to resume his football career after the ‘62 season.
A 1965 Notre Dame graduate, Hogan remained an ardent Fighting Irish fan throughout his life.

He also maintained friendships that dated as far back as grammar school, and was a “loyal, fun and caring friend” to best friend Bill Harmon, Hogan’s family said in his obituary.

Hogan, who resided in Palos Park, Ill., is survived by his wife, Carolyn, three children and five grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Donald J. Hogan Sr. Scholarship Fund, c/o St. Ignatius College Prep, 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL. 60607.

John Sullivan
Finger Lakes Railway Corp. Marketing Director John Sullivan died Dec. 5 at his Merrimack, N.H., home after a long illness. He was 60.

A U.S. Air Force and Vietnam War veteran, Sullivan served the Boston & Maine Railway in various capacities for more than 20 years after his military career ended.

He later joined Finger Lakes Railway, which operates a 118-mile short line and scenic railroad in central New York, and became head of marketing.

Sullivan is survived by his wife, Lynn, and other family members.

The family asks that memorial contributions be made to St. Joseph Hospital Oncology Center, 166 Kinsley St., Nashua, NH 03060.