Edward J. Lombardi

Edward J. Lombardi, age 71, passed away on December 6, 2017 following a valiant 17 month battle with ALS.

Ed, the only child of Armand and Elizabeth (Patrinicola) Lombardi, was born in Baltimore, MD, in 1946. After graduation from Towson State College, he proudly served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. Later, he attended the University of Southern California and pursued a master’s degree in aerospace operations management. Ed began his railroading career in 1973 as a locomotive engineer for Penn Central. In 1976, he joined Amtrak and spent his career working with new vehicles (locomotives) and vehicle testing. This provided him a unique opportunity to be in charge of directing several high-speed train operations including the touring Swedish X-2000, the German intercity Express in 1993, and qualifying Amtrak’s Acela Express trainsets for 150 mph operations in 2000. He retired from Amtrak in 2001 as the Director, Test Engineering. He was a consultant to the railroad industry until his final retirement in 2010. Ed was a past president of the Wilmington and Western Railroad and served on the board of the B & O Railroad Museum. He was the recipient of many awards and recognitions.

Ed enjoyed muscle/sports cars (of which he owned many), crossword puzzles (The New York Times, of course), and trivia. He was his community’s trivia master until his illness prevented participation. He, also, had a pilot’s license. Planes, trains, and automobiles- if it had a powerful engine, Ed loved it!

Ed is survived by his wife, Marion (Felton/Fetterman); daughter, Karen Garris (Brad) of Beulaville, NC; grandchildren, Ryan Hill, Samantha Hill, and Emily Brown of Beulaville, NC; great-grandson, Caleb Hill; and step-son, Mark Fetterman, Esq. of Lititz, PA. A visitation will be held on Monday, December 11, 2017, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE. Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the ALS Association, Greater Philadelphia Chapter, 321 Norristown Rd., Suite 260, Ambler, PA 19002.

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