Passing of Jack O'Connor

Reported today from Kel MacKavanagh...

"Am sorry to report on the passing of Jack O'Connor. Jack still attended our New Jersey Short Line Railroad Association meetings whenever he could. He passed away yesterday at the age of 87.

His viewing will be at the Bradley Funeral Home on Route 73 and Evesham Rd. in Marlton, NJ on Friday, January 15, 2010 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, January 15, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Simon Stock Parish, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Campus, 178 W. White Horse Pike, Berlin, NJ 08009.

Interment will be on Tuesday, January 19, at the Brig. General William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery, North Hanover Twp., NJ.

Memorial contributions in Jack's name may be made to:

Samaritan Hospice
5 Eves Dr., Suite 300
Marlton, NJ 08053

Besides his long railroad service with the Erie, Erie Lackawanna, and Conrail, Jack was a member of the Military Railway Service during World War II. We will miss him both for his knowledge and as a friend..

Kelvin MacKavanagh
Secretary, NJSLRRA


Comments below by Dick Hasselman:

"Dear Kelvin,

I was very sorry to hear that this excellent railroader, and good friend, has left us here on earth.

I first met Jack in 1969, when EL sued PC because we had discontinued some of the five or so Maybrook-Cedar Hill freight trains which NHRR had run prior to PC days. After much argument before the ICC, Jack came forward with the suggestion that EL would put all its traffic for NHRR points into one pre-blocked train daily, which PC would run through to Boston, after adding cars at Cedar Hill.

That was such a sensible idea that I agreed to it immediately. And Jack called me daily to make sure that PC did exactly what we had promised. I admired that.

Then, when the Poughkeepsie Bridge burned, Jack and I worked out an alternate routing via Utica and Selkirk. To monitor us there, Jack traced a car for each major point daily. Again I admired both his good planning and his dedication to follow-up.

So, when Conrail planning began, I immediately got Jack into the process with us, where he was a major contributor in devising freight schedules and explaining them to everyone involved, all around the system.

Finally, when Conrail started operations, Jack moved into the Operating Rules area, where he was also well qualified, though his years as a Chief Train Dispatcher.

I always respected and admired Jack, and appreciated his loyalty to me, to Conrail and to its ancestors. If there are railroads in heaven, God will surely put Jack in charge of them!"