Founder of the Delaware-Otsego rail empire, which began as a tourist railroad out of Oneonta, NY, on the old Ulster & Delaware line:

Walter George Rich
of Cooperstown
Walter George Rich, 61, a resident of Cooperstown, passed away on Thursday, August 9, 2007, at his residence. Walter was born in Oneonta, New York, on January 9, 1946 to George C. and Dorretta (Gregg) Rich of Franklin, New York. Mr. Rich married Karine Schmook of Rhinebeck, New York, in August, 1990 and they have two children, Stephanie and Derik. He has both an undergraduate degree and a law degree from Syracuse University (BA 1968) (JD 1971). Walter was the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Delaware Otsego Corporation since 1971, of its wholly-owned subsidiary, The New York Susquehanna and Western Railway (NYS&W) since 1980, and The Central New York Railroad (CNY) since 2005. The NYS&W is a freight railroad located in upstate New York and the New Jersey Metropolitan region. The CNY is a freight railroad located between Binghamton and Port Jervis, N.Y. Beginning in 1988 Mr. Rich headed up the effort to save the bankrupt Delaware & Hudson Railway. The NYS&W operated the D&H under emergency orders from the Interstate Commerce Commission for 18 months until the property could be sold to the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Mr. Rich is a member and past Chairman of the Eastern General Managers Association where he has worked to improve rail safety, organizing numerous industry seminars on the subject. In 1988, Mr. Rich was recognized by his colleagues in the railroad industry, receiving the "Right-Hand Man Award" at a ceremony at the Greenbriar Hotel, White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. In 1990, Modern Railroads Magazine recognized the NYS&W as its Railroad of the Year. In 1994, he was elected Vice President of the American Short Line Railroad Association (ASLRRA), located in Washington, D.C. and served as Chairman from 2001 to 2004. In 1972, Mr. Rich was named by Transportation Commissioner Parker to a committee to re-evaluate the Public Service Law as it applied to railroads. On July 6, 1993, he was nominated, and the Senate confirmed Mr. Rich's appointment, as a Member of the New York State Public Transportation Safety Board. In 1994, Mr. Rich was reappointed to a full six-year term. Also in 1994, Mr. Rich was appointed to serve on Governor-elect George E. Pataki's Transition Team, and on the Transportation Subcommittee. The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce named Mr. Rich Man of the Year in 1994. In 2002, Mr. Rich was chosen Delaware County Man of the Year by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. From 1971 to 1978, Walter Rich was the Commissioner of Elections in Delaware County. He was a director of Norwich Aero Products, Norwich, New York; a Trustee of Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown; a Trustee of WSKG Public Broadcasting, Binghamton; he was most recently a director of Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, Binghamton; a Trustee of the J. W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, St. Louis; and a member of the Franklin Industrial Advisory Board, Syracuse University School of Management. Mr. Rich was a member of the board of directors of the Delaware County Industrial Development Association. In 1995, Mr. Rich was appointed to the Board of Directors of the New York Business Development Corporation. In 1997, Mr. Rich was elected to the Board of Directors of New York State Electric and Gas. In 1998, Mr. Rich joined the Syracuse University School of Management Corporate Advisory Council. In 1999, Mr. Rich was elected to the Board of Directors of Energy East, the holding company of New York State Electric and Gas, Central Maine Power, and other utility companies. He was a Trustee of Catskill Area Hospice of Oneonta, New York and a Trustee of the Cook Foundation for the Preservation and Beautification of Cooperstown and Otsego Lake, Cooperstown, New York. In 2005, Mr. Rich was elected to the Board of Directors of Crucible Materials Corporation of Syracuse, New York. Walter Rich was a member of The National Railway Historical Society and The Lexington Group in Transportation. He is survived by his wife, Karine M. Rich, Cooperstown; his children, Stephanie and Derik Rich, Cooperstown; his aunt, Harriet Law, Franklin. He is also survived by his five nieces, Lynda, Pam, Sherry, Cynthia and Kimberly; a nephew, Kristopher; four great-nieces, one great-nephew; his in-laws, Karl and Iata Schmook and Lovey and Gordon Chafee; sisters-in-law, Ingrid Schmook and Karla Knapp; and his beloved cat, Patches.
The Office of the Burial of the Dead and a Requiem Eucharist (Rite I) will be offered at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, at Christ Church, Cooperstown, with the Right Reverend David Standish Ball, retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, serving as celebrant. The Reverend Samuel Bassett Abbott, rector of Christ Church, Cooperstown, will serve as homilist. Private interment will be in the Ouleout Valley Cemetery in Franklin. Friends are invited to call on Sunday, August 12, 2007, from 2 to 5 p.m. and Monday, August 13, 2007, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Connell, Dow and Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown at which time the family will be in attendance. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Franklin Railroad and Community Museum, c/o Les Sitler, 1 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326; or the Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 1 Birchwood Drive, Dept FH, Oneonta, N.Y. 13820. Condolences to the family may be made online by visiting our website at www.grummonsfuneral home.com Arrangements are by the Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home of Oneonta.

Published in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin on 8/10/2007.