John A. Darling
President and Chief Executive Officer
John Darling's forty-three year career in the railroad industry began as an extra-board locomotive fireman with the Wilmington & Western Rail Road in 1964 while working on his PhD in Physics at the University of Delaware. In 1967, John took a job in the Planning Department of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad which, at the time, he expected would be only a brief hiatus from his studies. Four years later he was recruited by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway's Operating Department in Chicago. From Chicago he moved to the New Mexico Division at Clovis, NM, where he was Night Trainmaster for three years before being recalled to Chicago to head Santa Fe's Cost and Economic Analysis Department. During this period, John represented the Santa Fe in a wide variety of financial and legal assignments, including providing testimony before the Interstate Commerce Commission, a variety of courts and regulatory agencies, and US Congress' Office of Technology Assessment. He also served on the Association of American Railroad's Cost Analysis Organization and was its Chairman and Chair of the AAR Committee that worked with the ICC to develop the Uniform Rail Cost System for regulatory cost-finding -- a system that continues in use today.
After leaving the Santa Fe in 1984, John's career took him to the CEO's chair at the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad and, in 1987, to the Chicago, Missouri & Western Railway. Following sale of the South Shore in 1989, John lead formation of Venango's consulting affiliate, Rail-Ways, Inc., through which he established an extensive operating, cost and economic consulting business that counted among it clients Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Metro North Commuter Railroad and California's North Coast Railroad Authority.
In 2006, Venango was engaged by Central Illinois Railroad Holdings, LLC (CIRail) with John Darling as its President of CIRail and its subsidiaries Central Illinois Railroad, Central Railink Services, LLC and the Central Railgroup Construction Services, LLC. In June 2007, John left that engagement to devote more time to development of Venango's core business.
Obituary
John Albert Darling
John Albert Darling Beloved father and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in Elgin, IL on June 27, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in December of 1937 in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to Lyman Abbott and Anna Elizabeth (nee Dicks) Darling, John graduated from Swarthmore High School in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Earlham College in 1960 and a Master of Science in Physics from the University of Delaware in 1966, where he completed additional post-graduate study. A talented scientist and engineer, John was employed by DuPont and Boeing before embarking on the path that would be his life's passion, railroading. During his 40-year career in rail, John served in an executive capacity for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway before developing ownership ventures for several short-line railroads, most notably the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railway, the Chicago, Missouri and Western Railway, and the Northwestern Pacific Railway. He also consulted transportation industry clients and was a noted rail historian. To his family and friends, his other loves -- nature, pets, music, storytelling, good food, and good company -- were well known. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Lyman Abbott (Caroline) Darling Jr. and is survived by his children, Marc (Linda) Darling and Kate (Scott) Darling Bond, as well as a great many friends and associates for whom his humor, intelligence, kindness and tenacity are irreplaceable. Services are private. Memorials may be made to Assisi Animal Foundation, PO Box 143, Crystal Lake, IL 60039 and The Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society, PO Box 667, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0667. The family gratefully acknowledges the support of Passages Hospice, Rosewood Care Center, and friends and extended family, and echoes John's final words on this earth: "Thank you."
A note from Tony McNair, Earlham, 1962:
"John, known then as Big John, was an important part of my Earlham experience. He dated the real Annie Oakley, before I came along in her life. Ann was a young woman unrelated to the stage character but carrying the same name. I married Ann(ie), and I lost her two years ago to another cancer after 45 years of marriage, but she was one of my links to John.
John worked with us on the stage at Earlham but his first love, (and one of mine too,) was the railroad. Also at Earlham in the same period was the RR photographer Frank Barry. I believe John and Frank crossed Canada during Christmas break, sleeping outdoors in sleeping bags and hitching rides on Canadian steam locomotives.
John will be missed."
"I was shocked and saddened to hear of John's illness and passing. He was a great guy with whom I enjoyed working." R.D. Yant (Chicago, IL)
"I am very sorry for your loss and know that you will miss John. I remember visiting with him when going up to Uncle Lyman and Aunt Anne's after graduating from high school. He showed Ruth and I his electric trains. I could understand his passion..." Joyce Hansen (SantaFe, NM)
"I was very sad to here about John passing. I wish all the best for all of you. George W. Darling" George Darling (Santa Fe, NM)
"I first met John in 1989 when solicited my firm's to help with raising financing for one of his several short line railroad acquistions, which was start of a friendship that grew from respect. We worked on many projects over the years and shared..." Tom Ablum (Chicago, IL) "
"There are many memories of Cousin John from earlier days and I was so glad to connect with him during this past year. He is in my prayers." Ruth and Ted Smith (Boulder, CO)
President and Chief Executive Officer
John Darling's forty-three year career in the railroad industry began as an extra-board locomotive fireman with the Wilmington & Western Rail Road in 1964 while working on his PhD in Physics at the University of Delaware. In 1967, John took a job in the Planning Department of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad which, at the time, he expected would be only a brief hiatus from his studies. Four years later he was recruited by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway's Operating Department in Chicago. From Chicago he moved to the New Mexico Division at Clovis, NM, where he was Night Trainmaster for three years before being recalled to Chicago to head Santa Fe's Cost and Economic Analysis Department. During this period, John represented the Santa Fe in a wide variety of financial and legal assignments, including providing testimony before the Interstate Commerce Commission, a variety of courts and regulatory agencies, and US Congress' Office of Technology Assessment. He also served on the Association of American Railroad's Cost Analysis Organization and was its Chairman and Chair of the AAR Committee that worked with the ICC to develop the Uniform Rail Cost System for regulatory cost-finding -- a system that continues in use today.
After leaving the Santa Fe in 1984, John's career took him to the CEO's chair at the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad and, in 1987, to the Chicago, Missouri & Western Railway. Following sale of the South Shore in 1989, John lead formation of Venango's consulting affiliate, Rail-Ways, Inc., through which he established an extensive operating, cost and economic consulting business that counted among it clients Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Metro North Commuter Railroad and California's North Coast Railroad Authority.
In 2006, Venango was engaged by Central Illinois Railroad Holdings, LLC (CIRail) with John Darling as its President of CIRail and its subsidiaries Central Illinois Railroad, Central Railink Services, LLC and the Central Railgroup Construction Services, LLC. In June 2007, John left that engagement to devote more time to development of Venango's core business.
Obituary
John Albert Darling
John Albert Darling Beloved father and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in Elgin, IL on June 27, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in December of 1937 in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to Lyman Abbott and Anna Elizabeth (nee Dicks) Darling, John graduated from Swarthmore High School in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Earlham College in 1960 and a Master of Science in Physics from the University of Delaware in 1966, where he completed additional post-graduate study. A talented scientist and engineer, John was employed by DuPont and Boeing before embarking on the path that would be his life's passion, railroading. During his 40-year career in rail, John served in an executive capacity for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway before developing ownership ventures for several short-line railroads, most notably the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railway, the Chicago, Missouri and Western Railway, and the Northwestern Pacific Railway. He also consulted transportation industry clients and was a noted rail historian. To his family and friends, his other loves -- nature, pets, music, storytelling, good food, and good company -- were well known. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Lyman Abbott (Caroline) Darling Jr. and is survived by his children, Marc (Linda) Darling and Kate (Scott) Darling Bond, as well as a great many friends and associates for whom his humor, intelligence, kindness and tenacity are irreplaceable. Services are private. Memorials may be made to Assisi Animal Foundation, PO Box 143, Crystal Lake, IL 60039 and The Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society, PO Box 667, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0667. The family gratefully acknowledges the support of Passages Hospice, Rosewood Care Center, and friends and extended family, and echoes John's final words on this earth: "Thank you."
A note from Tony McNair, Earlham, 1962:
"John, known then as Big John, was an important part of my Earlham experience. He dated the real Annie Oakley, before I came along in her life. Ann was a young woman unrelated to the stage character but carrying the same name. I married Ann(ie), and I lost her two years ago to another cancer after 45 years of marriage, but she was one of my links to John.
John worked with us on the stage at Earlham but his first love, (and one of mine too,) was the railroad. Also at Earlham in the same period was the RR photographer Frank Barry. I believe John and Frank crossed Canada during Christmas break, sleeping outdoors in sleeping bags and hitching rides on Canadian steam locomotives.
John will be missed."
"I was shocked and saddened to hear of John's illness and passing. He was a great guy with whom I enjoyed working." R.D. Yant (Chicago, IL)
"I am very sorry for your loss and know that you will miss John. I remember visiting with him when going up to Uncle Lyman and Aunt Anne's after graduating from high school. He showed Ruth and I his electric trains. I could understand his passion..." Joyce Hansen (SantaFe, NM)
"I was very sad to here about John passing. I wish all the best for all of you. George W. Darling" George Darling (Santa Fe, NM)
"I first met John in 1989 when solicited my firm's to help with raising financing for one of his several short line railroad acquistions, which was start of a friendship that grew from respect. We worked on many projects over the years and shared..." Tom Ablum (Chicago, IL) "
"There are many memories of Cousin John from earlier days and I was so glad to connect with him during this past year. He is in my prayers." Ruth and Ted Smith (Boulder, CO)
John A. Darling
President and Chief Executive Officer
John Darling's forty-three year career in the railroad industry began as an extra-board locomotive fireman with the Wilmington & Western Rail Road in 1964 while working on his PhD in Physics at the University of Delaware. In 1967, John took a job in the Planning Department of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad which, at the time, he expected would be only a brief hiatus from his studies. Four years later he was recruited by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway's Operating Department in Chicago. From Chicago he moved to the New Mexico Division at Clovis, NM, where he was Night Trainmaster for three years before being recalled to Chicago to head Santa Fe's Cost and Economic Analysis Department. During this period, John represented the Santa Fe in a wide variety of financial and legal assignments, including providing testimony before the Interstate Commerce Commission, a variety of courts and regulatory agencies, and US Congress' Office of Technology Assessment. He also served on the Association of American Railroad's Cost Analysis Organization and was its Chairman and Chair of the AAR Committee that worked with the ICC to develop the Uniform Rail Cost System for regulatory cost-finding -- a system that continues in use today.
After leaving the Santa Fe in 1984, John's career took him to the CEO's chair at the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad and, in 1987, to the Chicago, Missouri & Western Railway. Following sale of the South Shore in 1989, John lead formation of Venango's consulting affiliate, Rail-Ways, Inc., through which he established an extensive operating, cost and economic consulting business that counted among it clients Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Metro North Commuter Railroad and California's North Coast Railroad Authority.
In 2006, Venango was engaged by Central Illinois Railroad Holdings, LLC (CIRail) with John Darling as its President of CIRail and its subsidiaries Central Illinois Railroad, Central Railink Services, LLC and the Central Railgroup Construction Services, LLC. In June 2007, John left that engagement to devote more time to development of Venango's core business.
Obituary
John Albert Darling
John Albert Darling Beloved father and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in Elgin, IL on June 27, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in December of 1937 in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to Lyman Abbott and Anna Elizabeth (nee Dicks) Darling, John graduated from Swarthmore High School in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Earlham College in 1960 and a Master of Science in Physics from the University of Delaware in 1966, where he completed additional post-graduate study. A talented scientist and engineer, John was employed by DuPont and Boeing before embarking on the path that would be his life's passion, railroading. During his 40-year career in rail, John served in an executive capacity for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway before developing ownership ventures for several short-line railroads, most notably the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railway, the Chicago, Missouri and Western Railway, and the Northwestern Pacific Railway. He also consulted transportation industry clients and was a noted rail historian. To his family and friends, his other loves -- nature, pets, music, storytelling, good food, and good company -- were well known. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Lyman Abbott (Caroline) Darling Jr. and is survived by his children, Marc (Linda) Darling and Kate (Scott) Darling Bond, as well as a great many friends and associates for whom his humor, intelligence, kindness and tenacity are irreplaceable. Services are private. Memorials may be made to Assisi Animal Foundation, PO Box 143, Crystal Lake, IL 60039 and The Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society, PO Box 667, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0667. The family gratefully acknowledges the support of Passages Hospice, Rosewood Care Center, and friends and extended family, and echoes John's final words on this earth: "Thank you."
A note from Tony McNair, Earlham, 1962:
"John, known then as Big John, was an important part of my Earlham experience. He dated the real Annie Oakley, before I came along in her life. Ann was a young woman unrelated to the stage character but carrying the same name. I married Ann(ie), and I lost her two years ago to another cancer after 45 years of marriage, but she was one of my links to John.
John worked with us on the stage at Earlham but his first love, (and one of mine too,) was the railroad. Also at Earlham in the same period was the RR photographer Frank Barry. I believe John and Frank crossed Canada during Christmas break, sleeping outdoors in sleeping bags and hitching rides on Canadian steam locomotives.
John will be missed."
"I was shocked and saddened to hear of John's illness and passing. He was a great guy with whom I enjoyed working." R.D. Yant (Chicago, IL)
"I am very sorry for your loss and know that you will miss John. I remember visiting with him when going up to Uncle Lyman and Aunt Anne's after graduating from high school. He showed Ruth and I his electric trains. I could understand his passion..." Joyce Hansen (SantaFe, NM)
"I was very sad to here about John passing. I wish all the best for all of you. George W. Darling" George Darling (Santa Fe, NM)
"I first met John in 1989 when solicited my firm's to help with raising financing for one of his several short line railroad acquistions, which was start of a friendship that grew from respect. We worked on many projects over the years and shared..." Tom Ablum (Chicago, IL) "
"There are many memories of Cousin John from earlier days and I was so glad to connect with him during this past year. He is in my prayers." Ruth and Ted Smith (Boulder, CO)
President and Chief Executive Officer
John Darling's forty-three year career in the railroad industry began as an extra-board locomotive fireman with the Wilmington & Western Rail Road in 1964 while working on his PhD in Physics at the University of Delaware. In 1967, John took a job in the Planning Department of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad which, at the time, he expected would be only a brief hiatus from his studies. Four years later he was recruited by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway's Operating Department in Chicago. From Chicago he moved to the New Mexico Division at Clovis, NM, where he was Night Trainmaster for three years before being recalled to Chicago to head Santa Fe's Cost and Economic Analysis Department. During this period, John represented the Santa Fe in a wide variety of financial and legal assignments, including providing testimony before the Interstate Commerce Commission, a variety of courts and regulatory agencies, and US Congress' Office of Technology Assessment. He also served on the Association of American Railroad's Cost Analysis Organization and was its Chairman and Chair of the AAR Committee that worked with the ICC to develop the Uniform Rail Cost System for regulatory cost-finding -- a system that continues in use today.
After leaving the Santa Fe in 1984, John's career took him to the CEO's chair at the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad and, in 1987, to the Chicago, Missouri & Western Railway. Following sale of the South Shore in 1989, John lead formation of Venango's consulting affiliate, Rail-Ways, Inc., through which he established an extensive operating, cost and economic consulting business that counted among it clients Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Metro North Commuter Railroad and California's North Coast Railroad Authority.
In 2006, Venango was engaged by Central Illinois Railroad Holdings, LLC (CIRail) with John Darling as its President of CIRail and its subsidiaries Central Illinois Railroad, Central Railink Services, LLC and the Central Railgroup Construction Services, LLC. In June 2007, John left that engagement to devote more time to development of Venango's core business.
Obituary
John Albert Darling
John Albert Darling Beloved father and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in Elgin, IL on June 27, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in December of 1937 in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to Lyman Abbott and Anna Elizabeth (nee Dicks) Darling, John graduated from Swarthmore High School in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Earlham College in 1960 and a Master of Science in Physics from the University of Delaware in 1966, where he completed additional post-graduate study. A talented scientist and engineer, John was employed by DuPont and Boeing before embarking on the path that would be his life's passion, railroading. During his 40-year career in rail, John served in an executive capacity for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway before developing ownership ventures for several short-line railroads, most notably the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railway, the Chicago, Missouri and Western Railway, and the Northwestern Pacific Railway. He also consulted transportation industry clients and was a noted rail historian. To his family and friends, his other loves -- nature, pets, music, storytelling, good food, and good company -- were well known. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Lyman Abbott (Caroline) Darling Jr. and is survived by his children, Marc (Linda) Darling and Kate (Scott) Darling Bond, as well as a great many friends and associates for whom his humor, intelligence, kindness and tenacity are irreplaceable. Services are private. Memorials may be made to Assisi Animal Foundation, PO Box 143, Crystal Lake, IL 60039 and The Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society, PO Box 667, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0667. The family gratefully acknowledges the support of Passages Hospice, Rosewood Care Center, and friends and extended family, and echoes John's final words on this earth: "Thank you."
A note from Tony McNair, Earlham, 1962:
"John, known then as Big John, was an important part of my Earlham experience. He dated the real Annie Oakley, before I came along in her life. Ann was a young woman unrelated to the stage character but carrying the same name. I married Ann(ie), and I lost her two years ago to another cancer after 45 years of marriage, but she was one of my links to John.
John worked with us on the stage at Earlham but his first love, (and one of mine too,) was the railroad. Also at Earlham in the same period was the RR photographer Frank Barry. I believe John and Frank crossed Canada during Christmas break, sleeping outdoors in sleeping bags and hitching rides on Canadian steam locomotives.
John will be missed."
"I was shocked and saddened to hear of John's illness and passing. He was a great guy with whom I enjoyed working." R.D. Yant (Chicago, IL)
"I am very sorry for your loss and know that you will miss John. I remember visiting with him when going up to Uncle Lyman and Aunt Anne's after graduating from high school. He showed Ruth and I his electric trains. I could understand his passion..." Joyce Hansen (SantaFe, NM)
"I was very sad to here about John passing. I wish all the best for all of you. George W. Darling" George Darling (Santa Fe, NM)
"I first met John in 1989 when solicited my firm's to help with raising financing for one of his several short line railroad acquistions, which was start of a friendship that grew from respect. We worked on many projects over the years and shared..." Tom Ablum (Chicago, IL) "
"There are many memories of Cousin John from earlier days and I was so glad to connect with him during this past year. He is in my prayers." Ruth and Ted Smith (Boulder, CO)
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