(Newsday.com posted the following article by Joie Tyrrell on March 5.)
NEW YORK — The Long Island Rail Road’s vice president of operations, Jim Dermody, has been named acting president of the railroad until a new head is named, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced yesterday.
Dermody, who has been with the railroad since 1958, often served as acting president when former president Ken Bauer was away. Bauer’s last day was Monday. The MTA has yet to name a permanent replacement.
Dermody, who started with the railroad as a ticket clerk, has been lauded for his extensive knowledge of how the LIRR operates.
“There hasn’t been a time when I asked him an operations-related question that he hasn’t known the answer off the top of his head,” said Jim McGovern, chair of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter’s Council, a riders’ advocacy group. “He is extremely competent.”
Dermody could not be reached for comment yesterday. In a 1996 interview when he served as chief transportation officer, Dermody described his job in the simplest of terms.
“To make sure his people get the trains where they are needed, to get them there safely and on time and when that doesn’t happen to find out why and correct it,” he said.