After spending more than two decades championing passenger rail and building widespread support on Capitol Hill and beyond for the service, Joe McHugh is retiring from his position as Amtrak’s vice president of state-supported business development.
McHugh, who began his Amtrak career as director of government affairs in 2002, is widely praised among colleagues and fellow rail advocates for his work to instill public confidence and trust in Amtrak, especially among members of Congress. He also played a key role in spearheading major passenger rail initiatives over the years, including the launch of the high-speed Acela train along the East Coast, securing federal funding for long-distance service and coordinating successful train tours across the country.
The Southern Rail Commission has worked closely with McHugh over the years and benefitted from his experience and guidance on several key initiatives, including focusing on cities from New Orleans to Mobile as the most viable first steps in reinstating service along the Gulf Coast with four stops a day at each station.
McHugh also led an effort to run an inspection train from New Orleans to Jacksonville in 2016 to demonstrate the viability of daily service along the coast. In addition, he led fact-finding trips for the SRC executive committee and the Mississippi DOT chairman and staff to explore the success of state-supported trains in Maine and Vermont. McHugh has continued to provide SRC with guidance regarding equipment, schedules, and on-board service to ensure the success of the new Gulf Coast service.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to Joe for his contributions to our work, as someone who not only dedicated his professional career to championing passenger rail but who also took deep personal interest in its success,” said SRC Commissioner John Spain. “While we will certainly miss working with Joe at Amtrak, we know we can always lean on his invaluable advice and expertise as we move forward.”
In addition to McHugh’s work with SRC, Former Amtrak chairman John Robert Smith—now chairman of T4America and policy advisor for Smart Growth America—recalls his years working with McHugh on legislative affairs in Washington, D.C. He says McHugh had a trustworthy and honest reputation among legislators, even those who did not necessarily support Amtrak.
“What Joe brought to the table was his ability to restore confidence among members of Capitol Hill in the veracity and transparency of Amtrak,” Smith said. “He always told the truth, no matter if it was good or bad. His honest approach to his work on the Hill paid great dividends when we needed specific action from Congress.”