FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Douglas John Bowen, (201) 798-6137
Jack McDougal, (908) 638-8010

NJ-ARP NAMES JACK McDOUGAL TO RAIL ADVOCACY BOARD

Clinton Resident, Longtime Rail Advocate, Fills Vacated Seat;
Group Plans to Ramp Up Western New Jersey Service Issues

CHATHAM, N.J., February 24, 2004 -- Jack P. McDougal is the newest director of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers (NJ-ARP), the statewide rail passenger lobby.

The Clinton, N.J. resident was unanimously named by the NJ-ARP Board of Directors at its monthly meeting Feb. 11 in New Brunswick, filling a vacant seat on the eight-member board. McDougal has been a member of NJ-ARP since 1988.

"I'm very pleased to join the NJ-ARP Board," McDougal said. "Traffic has gotten substantially worse throughout New Jersey, but there's no relief in sight in the western part of the state. New Jersey Transit's last service upgrade in this area occurred years ago, and the extension from Netcong to Hackettstown took place only under pressure from the state Assembly, prompted in part by NJ-ARP."

McDougal will oversee renewed NJ-ARP efforts for more local rail options. "Anyone who drives Route 78 at rush hour knows we must have an alternate way to get to and from New York," he said. "An Annandale-area park-and-ride is being studied, and it is imperative to make a rail station part of that plan. In fact, rail service on the Raritan Valley Line should be extended to Phillipsburg and, with the cooperation of Pennsylvania, to Easton, Bethlehem, and Allentown."

NJ-ARP President Douglas John Bowen noted that McDougal has aided and advocated numerous NJ-ARP causes and issues statewide, making him an ideal "team player" within the organization. Bowen said NJ-ARP plans to exploit McDougal's expertise on rail issues in Hunterdon County and surrounding areas (including adjacent Pennsylvania counties) to the fullest.

"Jack believes NJ-ARP hasn't adequately addressed 'northwest Jersey' projects -- and he's right," Bowen said. "We think Jack will spearhead our effort to correct that shortcoming on several fronts, be it issues with the Raritan Valley Line, Hackettstown-to-Phillipsburg potential, or the Lackawanna Cut-Off in Sussex and Warren counties."

McDougal's history of public service includes serving as president of the Grandin Library and treasurer of the historic Red Mill, both in Clinton. He also was a director of the Hunterdon Realtors for several years. McDougal was the first chairman of the Clinton Township Historic Commission, and served on the township's Open Space Committee.

In the transportation field, McDougal currently is a public Trustee for Hunterdon County to the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (of which NJ-ARP is also a member), and serves as a board member of the Lackawanna Rail Historic Society.

NJ-ARP Director Jack P. McDougal can be contacted at 908-638-8010.

NJ-ARP is the statewide rail passenger advocacy lobby, a not-for-profit group established in 1980 to preserve and expand rail transit options and improve rail services and quality.