Happening Now
Senator Daniel K. Inouye, 1924 - 2012
December 18, 2012
Written By Sean Jeans Gail
The following was republished from Travel and Trains and Other Things, a blog written by NARP Board Member Jim Loomis.
Dan Inouye has died. He was 88.
He was probably never fully appreciated outside of Hawaii, but Dan’s an icon here. War hero who lost his right arm in Italy. Winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Served in the U.S. House and then, for 50 years, in the Senate.
I’m proud to say that last April, the National Association of Railroad Passengers presented Dan with its Golden Spike Award. It was for his consistent support of Amtrak over the years and, despite rabid opposition from the anti-rail people, for his efforts to secure federal funding for Honolulu’s proposed mass transit system.
The man had political clout almost beyond measure. A quiet word from Dan Inouye and things happened. Or didn’t.
He was one tough customer, but here’s the thing: when he came home to be with his constituents, with us folks in Hawaii, Dan Inouye was soft-spoken … respectful … humble. That’s why, among ourselves, we all called him “Dan”.
Not to his face, though. That was impossible.
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Jim Loomis is the author of All Aboard! The Complete North American Train Travel Guide
"On behalf of Amtrak’s onboard service staff, I want to thank the Rail Passengers Association for honoring their hard work with this award. The past couple years have indeed been difficult for Amtrak onboard service staff – coping with furloughs and job insecurity, adapting to changing protocols and services, not to mention the unfortunate events such as a tragic derailment and a fatal shooting. Nevertheless, our dedicated members at Amtrak have handled these hurdles with the care, attention and diligence for which they’re known. We thank Rail Passengers for their acknowledgement of our members’ hard work and, as always, look forward to seeing you on the rails."
Arthur Maratea, TCU/IAM National President
December 21, 2021, on the Association awarding its 2021 Golden Spike Award to the Frontline Amtrak Employees.
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