DART News Release
Mar 23, 2007 | General
Trinity Railway Express Commuter Rail Names New Chief Operating Officer
Media Relations Contact: March 23, 2007 Trinity Railway Express Commuter Rail Names New Chief Operating Officer
The TRE is a 35-mile commuter rail that operates 23 round-trip trains per day between Dallas and Fort Worth. It is jointly owned and operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T). Farquhar replaces the position vacated by the TRE's previous COO, Pete Sklannik, Jr., who left in December to join Wilbur Smith Associates as vice president of its national public transportation practice. Farquhar's career spans 25 years in operations, planning and consulting for passenger and freight railroads and public transportation agencies. He created the operating plans for several passenger railroad services, including the Music City Star in Nashville, Coaster in San Diego and Metrolink in Southern California. As interim executive director/director of commuter rail with the Nashville Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) since 2005, Farquhar implemented a new 32-mile commuter rail system, the Music City Star. The Music City Star began operation in September 2006 with round-trip service of six trains per day between Nashville and outlying areas. Farquhar oversaw the start-up and current operations, including construction oversight of six stations and a maintenance facility, integration with connecting transit agencies, revenue service, dispatching and management of the operating contractor and equipment. The Nashville commuter rail operates on an existing freight railroad. The TRE owns its own track but manages dispatching of the freight trains that use its corridor. Prior to his employment with RTA, Farquhar held positions of senior rail planner with Korve Engineering in California from 2000 to 2005, rail operations planner for Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) in Los Angeles from 1997 to 2000, and rail planner/superintendent for San Diego Northern Railway (SDNR) from 1990 to 1997. He also was a special consultant on two-commuter rail new service start ups, Sound Transit in Washington and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Authority in California. Farquhar holds a B.S. degree in management and administration from Charter Oaks State College and studied urban transportation at San Diego State University. He is a certified locomotive engineer. THE TRINITY RAILWAY EXPRESS The Trinity Railway Express is a commuter railroad that operates on a 35-mile east-west track with nine station stops between downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth. Jointly owned and operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), it is the only commuter rail in Texas and was the first in the Southwest. It serves 2.4 million passengers a year with average daily ridership of 8,500. -- 30 -- |
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