Bob Conheim
Bob's "Retirement" Cake
(If only we had more "Bobs" riding our trains...)
It is with deep regret and sense of personal loss that I must report the death of Robert Conheim. Please feel free to forward this information. Bob passed on Sunday morning, July 15 peacefully, at home, with his family.
No details of funeral or memorial arrangements are available yet, but I will forward them as they become available.
Bob was well known among Northern California rail riders, and he was affectionately dubbed "The Lord Mayor" of the CC Riders (Capitol Corridor Riders). His quick wit, love of life and family, plus his passion for good passenger train service, were his hallmarks. An attorney in California State government for most of his career, he recently retired after his initial bout with brain cancer but he had hoped to find a niche influencing elected decision makers on the value of public investment in rail service passenger and freight, with his Capitol Corridor experience as a solid example of what we could have in many places in California and across America with the right investments.
Several years ago, Bob was also elected to the Board of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) and took his rail advocacy mission nationwide. He loved to tell how he had to drive 32,000 miles annually (and did so for 25 years) primarily back and forth to work between Auburn and Sacramento on I-80, and then with the implementation of the Capitol Corridor's February 2000 Plan (and the revised train schedule to/from Auburn), he was able to ride the train to work, reducing his annual vehicle miles to just over 3,000 annual miles. Of course, he also noted the entire new community of friends he made, people he would not otherwise have met. Thus was born the "CC Rider Family".
The Lord Mayor was also known for his love of a good time, as witnessed by the planning and execution of regular rider parties aboard Capitol Corridor trains, with almost any 'holiday' as an excuse. His title as Lord Mayor was bestowed upon him by his fellow riders during a regal St. Patrick's Day gala on-board the train several years ago, and the title stuck. Whether it was a party for St. Paddy's Day, Halloween, Cinco de Mayo, Christmas, the Spring Solstice, or an annual Ice Cream Social, Bob was in the midst of it.
He also recognized the value of passenger train service and the positive impact it had on his life, his community and on the life of virtually everyone who uses the train. He was willing to become politically active to work for more service and more public investment in trains, and this effort consumed what time and energy he had right up to the end.
One thing Bob told me that he really wanted to see before he died was installation of the new generation 'Quik Trak' automated ticket vending machine at Auburn Station. We had planned to have him at the dedication event. The new machine will be installed at Auburn Station this coming Thursday. I know in my heart that when we hold the ceremony celebrating the installation of this Auburn ticket machine, Bob will be there.
I will miss him, and all of us on the Capitol Corridor will miss him. Perhaps his influence on our elected officials will now be made in a different way to help guide their decisions and policies. Godspeed to Bob.
Gene Skoropowski
Eugene K. Skoropowski
Managing Director
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
300 Lakeside Drive, 14th floor
Oakland, California 94612