Green Maned Lion
Engineer
I meant to put this up here almost a month ago, but I couldn't. I was too shaken up by his loss. None of you, save Jishnu, knew him, I don't think. Thats because he was adamantly a transit advocate, and in no way a rail fan. Not that his loss was unexpected- he was sick, and had been in hospitals for months after breaking his neck, and he was 79 years old, too boot.
No, I was shook up because losing Jim was a blow to transit advocacy so strong, its survival in New Jersey becomes questionable. In this light, I feel the need to mention his death and link to a obituary that will give you a better sense of who he was- but first, I want to remember him, in my own way.
Jim was... a force of nature. In his quiet, but effective way, he orchestrated and manipulated the entire New Jersey movement. He showed us how to fight in the halls of the Legislature, at the headquarters of NJ Transit, and even in Washington. He was a key force in killing the poorly planned ARC tunnel project, which would have set back transit in this region decades. He was... he was the best political person this movement has ever had, or probably ever will have. And above all, he was a great friend.
On the evening after his funeral, which happened to coincide with our monthly Coalition meeting, at a pre meeting dinner, to Joe Clift and Dave Alan, other members of the Lackawanna Coalition, I remarked, "If we, as transit advocates, had a round dozen Jim Raleighs, we would have taken over the world." They couldn't help but agree. He was that good.
A rocket scientist, an athlete, a master political operative, one of the smartest men who ever lived. I miss him. Hell, I'm still shaken up. Below is a link to an obituary written by one of those who knew him best.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df3/df09232013.shtml#Remembering
No, I was shook up because losing Jim was a blow to transit advocacy so strong, its survival in New Jersey becomes questionable. In this light, I feel the need to mention his death and link to a obituary that will give you a better sense of who he was- but first, I want to remember him, in my own way.
Jim was... a force of nature. In his quiet, but effective way, he orchestrated and manipulated the entire New Jersey movement. He showed us how to fight in the halls of the Legislature, at the headquarters of NJ Transit, and even in Washington. He was a key force in killing the poorly planned ARC tunnel project, which would have set back transit in this region decades. He was... he was the best political person this movement has ever had, or probably ever will have. And above all, he was a great friend.
On the evening after his funeral, which happened to coincide with our monthly Coalition meeting, at a pre meeting dinner, to Joe Clift and Dave Alan, other members of the Lackawanna Coalition, I remarked, "If we, as transit advocates, had a round dozen Jim Raleighs, we would have taken over the world." They couldn't help but agree. He was that good.
A rocket scientist, an athlete, a master political operative, one of the smartest men who ever lived. I miss him. Hell, I'm still shaken up. Below is a link to an obituary written by one of those who knew him best.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df3/df09232013.shtml#Remembering
Last edited by a moderator:
