Passenger Trains > Skoropowski to FEC?

Can anyone corroborate? FECrailway Yahoo group has a posting that on March 2, Gene Skoropowski was appointed
Senior Vice President of Passenger Rail Development. I can't find a FEC news release or a news story to confirm this, but if true, it would be quite a development.

Well. I know the LOSSAN Meeting being held tomorrow. Is Eugene's last meeting.

And we have a new person taking his place.


He did lay the ground work for the LOSSAN board. But I dont know if they will
follow that.

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

This is true. Gene lives in Florida (and even with the Capitol Corridor, he maintained a residence there). This will allow him to stay local.

There seems to be a lot of passenger rail planning activity along the Treasure Coast (Palm Beach, Martin, St Lucie, and Indian River counties) and the Space Coast (Brevard, Volusia, etc) counties. It's a subject of contracting local transit bus providers, sitings for new passenger rail stations, etc. Governor Scott's administration has provided considerable assistance for these local efforts.

Several local highway improvements and nearby property expansions seem to anticipate "something" will happen.

It would make a lot of sense for FEC to have somebody with Mr Skoropowski's experience keeping an eye on FEC's interests in the matter.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> It would make a lot of sense for FEC to have
> somebody with Mr Skoropowski's experience keeping
> an eye on FEC's interests in the matter.

Maybe FEC will bid on operating SunRail.

Or a good "preemptive strike" retainer, to avoid having him across the table from the FEC.

Best, SZ

I trust the man and this may be a good thing for the rather transit retarded state of Florida. Too bad he's not running Ca HSR, but that tar baby might destroy him. In a any case is FEC really willing to be a team player in passenger rail?

korotaj Wrote:
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> I trust the man and this may be a good thing for
> the rather transit retarded state of Florida. Too
> bad he's not running Ca HSR, but that tar baby
> might destroy him. In a any case is FEC really
> willing to be a team player in passenger rail?


TAR BABY????????????????????????

Ed Ball is spinning in his grave.

Waybiller Wrote:
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> Ed Ball is spinning in his grave.

I think you are right.

Still no news release from FEC, though today it announced the appointment of a VP of Sales and Marketing. Also no news accounts found on the internet. Corroboration anyone?

Trains Newswire says it's true.

ts1457 Wrote:
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> Waybiller Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ed Ball is spinning in his grave.
>
> I think you are right.


maybe.

But, Ed Ball was a realist and a really tough cookie. I suspect if somebody offered to give him a billion dollars for some double track, more sidings, track improvements, etc, he'd return the call.

There seems to be a local desire, with political support, for rail service in the Space Coast and the Treasure Coast. If the state and counties show up with a bag of gold dubloons, I suspect the railroad would be happy to discuss their interests.


(For folks not familiar with these decades old allusions, Ed Ball was the lead dog on the old Florida East Coast via his control of the Alfred DuPont trusts. He gained control of the railroad, and immediately cracked down on the operating unions. He took a hard line on the strike, and introduced two man crews, abolished the caboose, and created an environment in which the passenger trains vanished from FEC. The Alfred I. DuPont trusts had their own legendary legal experience, lasting about 30 years.

Partial disclosure: I traded extensively in shares of Consolidated Tomoka, FEC, Disney, and many companies involved in the real estate, timber, and rail operations related to the trust.)

To: +FECR ALL
Subject: FECR New Hire Announcement - Gene Skoropowski

March 2, 2012

To All Employees:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Eugene (Gene) Skoropowski as
Senior Vice President of Passenger Rail Development reporting directly to
me. Gene will be based out of Orlando, Florida.

Gene has over 40 years of experience in the railroad industry, mostly
building and managing successful passenger rail services. Prior to spending
the past two years as a rail consultant with international engineering firm
HNTB, Gene managed Northern California’s Capitol Corridor intercity
passenger rail service in partnership with the Union Pacific, Amtrak and the
State of California. This 170-mile route has become the fastest growing
intercity passenger rail route in the country.

Gene also served in rail management positions in Boston, Philadelphia, and
Los Angeles, and was Director of Rail Projects at Fluor Corporation, where
he worked on passenger rail pursuits in Florida, Montreal, Paris, London and
Amsterdam.

He holds a professional degree in architecture from The Catholic University
of America in Washington, DC, and has been licensed in six states.

Gene has been married to Joann for 45 years and they enjoy spending time
with their three daughters and two grandchildren.

Please join me in welcoming Gene to the FEC Team.
Jim Hertwig
President and Chief Executive Officer