O

Kevin O’Connor, who has spent more than 30 years in passenger rail operations, has been appointed Vice President and General Manager of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. He has served in that position in an acting capacity since June 2010, following Bill Duggan’s departure to head Amtrak’s West Coast operations. O’Connor manages the nation’s third-largest commuter rail system—close to 700 trains on 12 lines with 165 stations that handle more than 270,000 weekday passenger trips.

O’Connor joined NJ Transit in 2002 as General Superintendent of New York Penn Station, the busiest station on NJT’s rail system. He later advanced to Deputy General Manager of Transportation, a position responsible for all transportation-related aspects of rail operations, including train movements, customer communications, safety initiatives, labor relations, and revenue collection.

During his nine years at NJT, O’Connor has improved customer communications at New York Penn Station by successfully integrating New York station operations with Amtrak, including the PA announcer function, within a new Terminal Operations Center. He also coordinated with Amtrak and NJT personnel for the opening of the Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction and developed operating plans for the successful opening of the Meadowlands Rail Line.

O’Connor began his career in the passenger rail transportation industry at Amtrak, where he rose through the ranks from a train attendant on the New York Division to the dispatching and operating rules departments. He later served as Manager of Operations for Penn Station Central Control and Assistant General Manager of Train Operations for Amtrak’s Metropolitan Division. He ultimately became General Manager of Amtrak’s Philadelphia lines in the Mid-Atlantic Division, responsible for all aspects of operations from Washington, D.C. to Morrisville, Pa., and west from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.

In 2008, O’Connor completed the ENO Center for Transportation Leadership Executive Development Program. He resides in Hamilton, NJ.

“As a professional with more than 33 years of railroad operating experience, the depth of Kevin’s knowledge and his focus on safety, fiscal responsibility, and ontime performance will serve the agency, our employees, and our customers well,” said NJT Executive Director James Weinstein. “With his extensive background in rail operations, I’m confident that he will continue to rise to the challenges associated with keeping New Jersey’s rail system moving day in and day out.”

O’Connor said that “robust and reliable rail transportation is vital to both the State and the region. I’m committed to ensuring the safe, efficient operation of rail service for the customers who depend on our trains every day to conduct life’s daily business.”