James M. Finch was born in New York City on December 22, 1916 . He began railroad career as an usher for the New York Central Railroad in Grand Central Terminal, New York City. After serving in the Transportation Corps during World War II, he was employed in 1946 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (better known as the New Haven Railroad ), working in the freight and passenger departments. Other positions he held with the railroad was as Assistant Trainmaster, Superintendent of Car Service and Vice President of Planning and Research. After the New Haven Railroad was merged into Penn Central in 1969, Mr. Finch served as Assistant to the General Manager for the New Haven Region and as Special Assistant to the Trustees in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . In the 1970s he worked for Amtrak as Special Assistant for the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP). Finally, for NECIP he served as Regional Agency Coordinator and Agency Coordinator--Northeast Corridor. After retiring in 1985, he served from 1987 to at least 1994 on the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council.
Mr. Finch graduated from Princeton University in 1939 with a degree in Economics and received a Masters Degree in Transportation-Railroad Operations, from Yale University . He was married to Ann Bishop and had three sons.
James M. Finch died at the age of 89 on May 4, 2006, in Hamden, Connecticut .
From the guide to the James M. Finch Collection., undated, ca. 1946-1985., (Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center .)
