Train named after Cornish 9/11 hero Rick Rescorla

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), via the Long Rock Open Day Facebook page: 

We have a very special naming taking place with very special guests.

Cornish 9/11 hero to be honoured.

One of the heroes of 9/11, Cornishman Rick Rescorla, is to be honoured after being nominated by members of the public as one of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) 100 Great Westerners.

Rick, the Head of Security for Morgan Stanley in 2001, will have a new Intercity Express Train named after him at a ceremony attended by family and friends on Saturday 13 April 2019.

Rick’s widow Susan Rescorla and other family members are flying over to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) especially for the naming ceremony and will be joined by many of Rick’s family and friends who still live in Cornwall.

She said:
“Rick was so proud of his Cornish roots and when we visited we would always travel on the train. To know Rick is being honoured in this way and is remembered with such fondness is great comfort. I know he would be so proud of this.”

During the attack on the World Trade Centre, Rick calmly helped save the lives of over 2,500 people as he evacuated them from the South Tower, singing Cornish folk songs as he led them down the stairs.

After ensuring their safety, he went back into the building and was last seen on the 10th floor, heading upward, shortly before the South Tower collapsed. He was declared dead three weeks later.

Mark Hopwood, GWR Managing Director said:
“Rick’s story is a remarkable tale of incredible bravery and it is little wonder that the public want to recognise him as someone who really epitomises the spirit of the region we serve.

“Naming trains has been a part of the GWR since the days of Brunel and we are humbled that Rick Rescorla’s name will be carried by one of our new Intercity Express Trains.”

The naming is to take place in front of thousands of anticipated visitors to the Long Rock Open Day, Long Rock Train Maintenance Depot, in Penzance on Saturday 13 April 2019.

GWR’s 100 Great Westerners were nominated by the public through the region’s media and are a mixture of well-known and less celebrated figures who have made a significant contribution to the West Country.

The first 50 of GWR’s new Intercity Express Trains will bear their names. The first train was named by Queen Elizabeth II^▸ (IndustryInsider - a respected member of this forum) in June 2017.

A fitting tribute indeed. In this instance 'hero' is a an undoubtedly appropriate epithet. Reading more about this remarkable man made me well up.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla

[Lee]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-47866351

A man who saved thousands of lives during the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks in New York is having a new train named after him in England.

Rick Rescorla from Cornwall was head of security for Morgan Stanley, a bank based in the south tower.

He evacuated more than 2,500 employees on 11 September 2001 before returning inside - but his body was never found.

He was nominated to have a new intercity express train named after him in a poll run by Great Western Railway.

The train will be named at a ceremony in Long Rock near Penzance on Saturday.

[old original]

..and another one, maybe the other end, is being named after the Penlee life boat "Solomon Browne"

[Lee]

Indeed - https://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest-news/2849083/crew-of-penlee-lifeboat-disaster-commemorated-on-train/

[TaplowGreen]

..and another one, maybe the other end, is being named after the Penlee life boat "Solomon Browne"

Bravo. Both many times more deserving than the host of the Glastonbury Festival.....I was going to say more "worthy" 🙂

[JayMac]

A video of the first naming ceremony today. Presented by Mark Hopwood and Paul Gentleman of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), with speeches from Gregory Burton, Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the United States Embassy in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), and most importantly, heartfelt words from Susan Riscorla, Rick's widow.

I'll admit to a tear or two listening to Susan's words.



Following the naming ceremony, the Mousehole Male Voice Choir, sung one of Rick Rescorla's favourite Cornish folk songs, The White Rose. Then closing words from Mark Hopwood. (We'll forgive him his Emmet mispronunciation of 'Mousehole' )



(Apologies for the wind noise on the videos. It was very breezy at the end of the peninsula today. Many videographers had sensibly come equipped with dead cats)

Unfortunately I didn't stay around for the later naming ceremony at the other end of 802008. As I'd driven down with Finn in tow I couldn't leave him in the car into the afternoon too. The other end was named 'Solomon Browne' after the Penlee lifeboat that was lost with all hands on 19th December 1981.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penlee_lifeboat_disaster

No doubt video will surface in the coming days of that naming ceremony. I'll keep an eye out.

[JayMac]

Those who do Facebook (link may work without log in) can view the second naming ceremony for 802008, 'Solomon Browne' here:

https://www.facebook.com/gwruk/videos/442723006487756/

[JayMac]

Rick Rescorla, who had a Class 802 named after him earlier this year, was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal at a ceremony in The White House on 7th November 2019.  His widow Susan accepted the award from President Trump.

The Presidential Citizens Medal is the United States' second highest civilian award. It is awarded to US citizens "who have performed exemplary deeds or services for their country or fellow citizens."

The citation reads:

"Richard Cyril Rescorla.  At the cost of his own, Richard Rescorla helped save the lives of nearly 2,700 people at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001.

In the midst of the attack on the Twin Towers, Rescorla ignored advice to shelter people in place and instead aided their efforts to escape to safety.  He did not, however, join the evacuation.  He continued working to save lives until the tower collapsed, killing him and hundreds more.

The United States is proud to honor Rick Rescorla, whose valiant and selfless sacrifice for his fellow Americans on one of our Nation’s darkest days will never be forgotten."

The ceremony, with speeches from President Trump and Susan Riscorla is embedded below. During the President's speech he mentions the train in England named after Rick Rescorla. A model of that train was presented to the President and he said it'll go in the Oval Office.

[ChrisB]

took them long enough!!

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Poppies made of scallop shells honour 9/11 victims

[Image from here is not available to guests]
Cornish-born Rick Rescorla helped get people out of the World Trade Center's South Tower during the 9/11 attacks - Image © PA^▸ (Public Address (broadcast loudspeaker announcements) or Passenger Assist (railway staff providing physical assistance to passengers with mobility issues), depending on context) Media

A special tribute has been made to remember the victims of the 9/11 attacks - including a Cornishman whose actions are credited with helping save lives.

The Veterans Charity invited people to Hayle, Cornwall, to be part of a "poppy production line" using about 6,000 scallop shells to create 2,977 poppies - one for each of the victims of the attacks that happened 25 years ago on Friday.

Among the victims was Rick Rescorla, originally from Hayle, who was a security worker who managed to get people to safety after planes crashed into the World Trade Center.

Iain Henderson, trustee of The Veterans Charity, said the project was a "fitting tribute" to Rescorla and everyone else who died.

(BBC article continues)