Congratulations GOKeefe

Congrats, and keep fighting for those "Trains in Maine" (LD's).

Congratulations and Thank You for your service to our country.


Peter
former USMC jarhead

Congratulations! Great to see your well-earned promotion from freelancer to a staff position. Hold on to your optimism and keep up your good work.

Allow me to add the page's "official" congratulations!

Congrats! Maine needs your hard work and outlook.

There is certainly no doubting your enthusiasm for passenger rail , and I wish you well.

I'll add my congrats too and the very best of luck, you'll need it.
Noel Weaver

Oh my goodness ... I *just* saw this! Thank you all so much!

NHV 669 wrote:

TomNelligan wrote:From your postings here I can see that you obviously bring the right sort of passion to the job.

not to mention optimism as well.... Had no idea of all the things you did on the other side of the screen, Sarn't.

Most of my "real" world had very little idea of my interest of work in transportation. It's been interesting in a very good way to let these two world merge.

"Glad to be here" is my typical response these days in public when it comes to military service. I wear the stripes with pride that's for sure.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Congratulations Mr. O'Keefe on your appointment, and with the insight and objectivity you present thoughts at these Forums, you will bring to this advocacy group "the wisdom to know what you can and cannot change" (pardon me, Dr. Niebhur, for the paraphrase of your inspirational words).

Someone we work with very closely at TrainRiders and who knows me from several meetings prior remarked that, "He understands "No"" as a very positive attribute. There are of course things that I would like to see changed about rail passenger service in the Northeast. But none of those preferences matter if those changes aren't sustainable. I want to offer my thanks to you especially Mr. Norman for all the great discussions and knowledge you've imparted over the years. I have done a lot of research trying to understand or answer your thoughts and learned a lot from it. On a more sentimental note your "Consists" thread posts were some of the most enjoyable reading about trains I've ever done.

Ocala Mike wrote:Congrats, and keep fighting for those "Trains in Maine" (LD's).

Thanks! You may just yet see the dream realized to get off at a station in Lewiston.

Woody wrote:Congratulations! Great to see your well-earned promotion from freelancer to a staff position. Hold on to your optimism and keep up your good work.

Thanks Woody. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing at railroad.net. TrainRiders Northeast is a great organization that has a superb reputation for advocacy and volunteer support that I feel very privileged to lead alongside Chairman Davis.

MEC407 wrote:I can't think of a better person for the job. Congratulations, my friend!

Thank you very much MEC407! I am very happy to be "on the job" and greatly appreciate your friendship.

David Benton wrote:There is certainly no doubting your enthusiasm for passenger rail , and I wish you well.

Thank you very much David.

piker wrote:Excellent! The inmates are running the asylum. Naturally, George will need some guidance. We need a "Wish List for George" thread. Sorry George you're going to have to pretend you don't know us I guess. Seriously thanks for all the time you have put in here.

Haha ... that's hilarious. It certainly does feel that way at times. I would only add that you would be surprised (perhaps not) at the strong level of interest and passion on the part of the professionals out in the field. In private they regularly entertain and consider many of the ideas that are repeatedly brought up in these very forums. Naturally there are the usual limitations to deal with but at the end of the day most of these people feel just as strongly as the rest of us about the importance and utility of passenger trains.