119 LIRR Employees Made More Than $200K Last Year; 8 Top $300K

The number of Long Island Rail Road employees who made more than $200,000 decreased in 2016, but the highest paid employees still took home fatter paychecks compared to previous years, according to payroll data found on the Empire Center for Public Policy’s transparency website, SeeThroughNY.net.

One hundred and nineteen employees made more than $200,000 last year, compared to 136 in 2016.

However, data shows the top-paid LIRR employees in 2016 were paid more than the highest paid employees in 2015. The highest LIRR salary in 2015 was $333,128, which would be No. 4 on the 2016 list.

Eight employees made more than $300,000 last year, compared to just four employees in 2015. In 2014, no employees made more than $300,000.

LIRR President Patrick A. Nowakowski was No. 4 on the 2106 list, with a pay rate of $136 per hour. All three employees ahead of him received a pay rate of $47 per hour, according to the data.

Here are the LIRR employees who were paid over $200,000 last year:

1. Ralph K. Golden, Foreman-Track— $360,978
2. Joseph M. Ruzzo, Foreman-Track— $359,982
3. Joseph J. Biondo, Foreman-Track— $349,879
4. Patrick A. Nowakowski, President— $323,446
5. Kenneth J. Nittoly III, Supv-Control Maintainer— $320,008
6. Dallas Bazemore III, Foreman-Surfacing— $313,757
7. John E. Nugent, Foreman-Surfacing— $310,599
8. Kevin T. Webb, B&B Foreman— $305,251
9. Joseph Balestra, Foreman-Track— $298,082
10. Thomas Caputo, Chief Measurement Oper— $283,578
11. Ricardo G Ruiz, MW Repairman Technician— $277,190
12. Gregory A. Wood, B&B Foreman— $275,754
13. James E. Szegfu, Foreman-Surfacing— $275,495
14. Anthony Brescia, Foreman-Track— $271,377
15. Patrick N. Damboise, Foreman-Track— $271,120
16. Gregory P. Olsen, Foreman-Signal— $267,696
17. Jerome J. Christopher, Foreman-Track— $267,305
18. Joseph Fragale, Foreman-Track— $262,787
19. John F. Dunne, B&B Foreman— $253,063
20. Terence M. Glum, Foreman-Track— $252,145
21. Michael G. Ollek, Foreman-Track— $251,394
22. Kevin C. Curry, M W Utility Worker— $249,084
23. Glenn R. Picco, Crane Engr-Road/Rail Cranes— $245,607
24. Richard M. Trepiccione, Foreman-Surfacing— $244,868
25. Ronald Bestafka, Foreman-Track— $242,737
26. Richard A. Martorano, Engineer— $241,379
27. Steve Garcia, Gang Foreman-ME— $236,548
28. Edward P. Popolizio, Foreman-Track— $236,527
29. Omar A. Valle, Foreman-Track— $236,324
30. Charles J. Sickler, Plumber Foreman— $236,201
31. Gregg L. Kelley, Conductor— $235,437
32. Carlos Romano, Engineer— $234,582
33. Matthew M. Cleary, Chief Train Dispatcher— $234,196
34. Leonardo F. Espinosa, Gang Foreman-ME— $234,194
35. Darryl W. Taylor, Gang Foreman-ME— $233,530
36. Jeffrey Davies, Gang Foreman-ME— $231,372
37. Devnish A. Barid, Foreman-Track— $229,848
38. Scott E. Anderson, Asst Supv-Track— $229,022
39. Roy E. Kunzinger, Yardmaster— $228,244
40. Bruce Ronald Pohlot, Sr Vice President-Engineering— $228,090
41. Michael W. Greene, Conductor— $227,989
42. John Neglia, B&B Foreman— $227,337
43. John F. Swaby, Gang Foreman-ME— $227,112
44. Robert C. Ennis, B&B Foreman— $225,282
45. Vincent G. Blackburn, Car Repairman— $223,907
46. Filippo Lamendola, Asst Subv-Track— $222,046
47. Christopher A. Peart, Jr., Conductor— $221,943
48. Cary G. Realbuto, Gang Foreman-ME— $221,933
49. Nelson Sabella, Engineer Work Equipment— $221,655
50. Lloyd M. THompson, Engineer— $221,382
51. James T. Reshard, Jr., Asst Stationmaster— $220,868
52. Stephen M. Rieber, Gang Foreman-ME— $220,146
53. Dave John Kubicek, Sr Vice President-Operations— $219,658
54. Henry S. Walker, Conductor— $219,614
55. Steve Delacrausaz, Gang Foreman-ME— $219,011
56. Robert Genovese, Foreman-Track— $218,941
57. Stephen A. Dagostino, Gang Foreman-ME— $218,931
58. Claude F. Birong, Foreman-Track— $218,583
59. Dexter S. Kellam, Gang Foreman-ME— $218,310
60. Ramiro Vega, Jr., Car Repairman— $218,245
61. Laura Ciminello, Conductor— $217,904
62. Christopher S. Smith, Conductor— $217,781
63. Marc. A. Stoia, MW Repairman Technician— $217,411
64. Peter J. Peterson, Engineer— $216,211
65. Donald R. Corona, MW Utility Worker— $216,120
66. Douglas J. Parker, Conductor— $215,646
67. Peter Zoufaly, Yardmaster— $215,302
68. Jacqueline R. Gardner, Conductor— $213,906
69. Lee S. Levine, Foreman-Track— $212,704
70. Kenneth S. Walther, Dir-Customer Svc Strategies— $212,344
71. Michael M. Bowe, Gang Foreman-ME— $212,233
72. Robert F. Caldwell, Machine Operator— $212,136
73. Brendan W. Higgins, Engineer Work Equipment— $212,128
74. Nicholas R. Gentner, Gang Foreman-ME— $211,724
75. Stephen R. Riekert, Machinist— $211,154
76. Edward M. Smith, Conductor— $210,695
77. Michael D. Dooling, Foreman-Track— $210,330
78. Frank M. Garafola, Chief Train Dispatcher— $210,075
79. Peter R. McNierney, Foreman-Signal— $209,917
80. David W. Bradley, Engineer— $209,356
81. William J. Corley, Engineer— $209,240
82. John A. Kolosvary, Lead Train Director-JCC— $208,680
83. Craig S. Murray, Gang Foreman-ME— $208,676
84. Christopher E. Shine, Engineer— $208,406
85. William M. Kwas, Engineer— $208,264
86. James M. Lopez, Conductor— $207,783
87. Joseph P. Corvetti, Gang Foreman-ME— $207,554
88. Joseph L. Fuoco, Foreman Signal— $207,491
89. Kenneth A. Levin, Foreman-Track— $207,418
90. Scott R. Dougherty, Conductor— $207,389
91. James R. Hagenburg, Conductor— $205,730
92. William P. Bagnasco, Asst Foreman-Signal— $205,705
93. Tom W. Tutaj, Machinist Federal Inspctr— $205,674
94. Joseph Duryea, Foreman-Track— $205,378
95. David P. Negus, Machinist Federal Inspctr— $204,665
96. Michael S. Magaliff, Conductor— $204,635
97. Dean Cange, Engineer Work Equipment— $204,635
98. John F. Montaniz, Gang Foreman-ME— $204,453
99. Edward C. Herting, Gang Foreman-ME— $204,367
100. Michael J. Evans, Conductor— $204,341
101. Robert H. Santos, Gang Foreman-ME— $204,224
102. James R. Brooks, Exec Dir-ESA/Harold Operations— $204,160
103. Gerard E. Ring, Exec Dir-Management & Budget— $204,136
104. Christopher G. Teresky, Asst Stationmaster— $203,958
105. Thomas W Allen, Gang Foreman-ME— $203,715
106. Cleon Willis, Conductor— $203,447
107. Kendell T. Ward, Asst Stationmaster— $203,161
108. Richard Munoz, Crane Engr-Road/Rail Cranes— $202,980
109. Karl W. Wilhelm, B&B Foreman— $202,701
110. Mark A. Speruta, Foreman-Track— $202,642
111. Jon M. Young, Foreman-Signal— $202,180
112. Salvatore J. Zambuto, Dir-Public Info Office— $202,111
113. Jan K. Melhus, Conductor— $202,102
114. Mark Young, Vice Pres-Mgmt & Fin And CFO— $202,044
115. Robert A. Friscia, Foreman MW Mechanic 2nd Yr— $201,928
116. James J. Scimone, Conductor— $201,567
117. Brenda J. Cole, Gang Foreman-ME— $201,279
118. Jeanmarie K. Pizzo, Dep Ctrllr-Acctng&Revenue— $200,918
119. Delroy S. Bowen, MW Mechanic— $200,519

Photo of LIRR bi-level coaches at grade level crossing in Bethpage by Sullynyflhi (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons