Amtrak, TSA, Security, Police, Criminal Activity Thread

[NellieBly]

CoastStarlight99:

Of course, we all know that the Bad Guys NEVER have photo IDs. I mean, our security is SO STRICT that NOBODY could EVER get a FAKE driver's license, passport, school ID, etc. In fact, I think ALL PEOPLE who don't have IDs should be LOCKED UP without trial and sent to a re-education camp in Alaska.

Listen, my friend, when everyone has to carry an "internal passport" to travel, terrorists will have them too. Rest assured.

This particular piece of nonsense doesn't make you any safer. It makes you FEEL safer, and that, unfortunately, is not the same thing.

[AmtrakFan]

Ms. Bly,
I do carry around my School ID from this year and last year so there their if the Police want to see them. I am going to have to respectually disagree about proscuting people without ID like your going to proscute a 2 Yearold for not having one.

[Ken W2KB]

What kind of photo ID is a 12-15 year old kid supposed to produce?

Chuck-E-Cheese card? Come on....

Amtrak provides a wristband to be worn for the duration of the journey when the adult brings the child to travel alone to the station.

[AmtrakFan]

There have been problems with people forgetting their ID's when buying tickets according to a local ticket Agent I was talking to.

[CoastStarlight99]

CoastStarlight99:

Of course, we all know that the Bad Guys NEVER have photo IDs. I mean, our security is SO STRICT that NOBODY could EVER get a FAKE driver's license, passport, school ID, etc. In fact, I think ALL PEOPLE who don't have IDs should be LOCKED UP without trial and sent to a re-education camp in Alaska.

Listen, my friend, when everyone has to carry an "internal passport" to travel, terrorists will have them too. Rest assured.

This particular piece of nonsense doesn't make you any safer. It makes you FEEL safer, and that, unfortunately, is not the same thing.

Yes your probably right, just carry an ID people!

[7 Train]

I have the idea that all Amtrak passengers should provide their (full) name, date of birth and SSN when make reservations, either in person at stations, online or over the phone.

[7 Train]

I was meaning that SSNs could one day be interlinked into a national database for background checks, criminal records, et al.

[NellieBly]

Okay, one last comment about this particular exercise in lunacy.

I frequently travel to NYP and WAS by train from PHL. I *always* use the QuikTrak machines. So I walk into the station, shove my business credit card into the slot, get my ticket, and board the train. Since I usually travel on "regional" trains, nobody looks at my tix before I board. I give the ticket to the conductor, and haven't yet been asked for ID.

So all I need is my credit card, and I never show a photo ID to anyone. I suppose those who have posted here in favor of asking for ID don't believe that terrorists carry credit cards? I can walk onto a train carrying God knows what in my suitcase, and no one will ever be the wiser.

Throwing 16-year-olds off trains for not having ID is not likely to make anyone safer.

[themallard]

PRNewswire

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) is partnering with the Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority (WMATA) and Amtrak on a three-day pilot project to test the agency's ability to assist State and local authorities by quickly deploying federal assets in response to a specific threat. The pilot will run from Dec. 14 - 16 and will involve Federal Air Marshals, surface transportation inspectors, and TSA canine teams."...

[Gilbert B Norman]

Associated Press coverage:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/nationa ... shals.html

CBS Radio News also is carrying the story this morning.

I must question the effectiveness of any such program, beyong giving the traveling public the perception of additional security. But then, just like your geometry theorems from High or other secondary school days, the axiom is that perception is reality. Therefore the public is more secure.

It is one thing for two Marshals to "cover' one aircraft cabin; quite something else to cover six or more separated Amfleet/Acela 'cabins'.

But folks, I don't think I have just posted to a worldwide forum anything of which Osama, Abu Musab, and other assorted colleagues are hardly aware.

[jfrey40535]

Thats all we need...a bunch of trigger happy agents looking for "threats" on the rails.

Are they going to patrol the ROW as well or just stations and trains?

[wigwagfan]

I just can't wait for the VIPR team to come to Portland.

Right now, we already have numerous levels of security onboard light rail trains - Transit Police (which is actually made up of city police officers from Portland, Gresham, Beaverton and Hillsboro, as well as Washington County Sheriff's Deputies), Fare Inspectors (who can enforce any TriMet code or regulation), TriMet Security (privately contracted security officers), local police (the same departments that comprise Transit Police, but officers who aren't assigned to Transit Police duty), and Port of Portland Police (they handle the bomb-sniffing dogs which occassionally patrol trains, as well as the Airport MAX line). In a national emergency, Oregon State Police would probably assist as they did at Portland International Airport (and all other state passenger airports) after 9/11. And now, the TSA. Pretty soon there will be more law enforcement on some trains than actual revenue passengers!

[patcobill]

As I am traveling on the 91 this summer to Florida, i have been monitoring the arrival time in Kissimmee. Today there is no arrival time posted on the website as

Information Unavailable: Sorry, due to a service disruption, we are unable to provide estimated departure and arrival times. For additional assistance, please contact us at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

I call the number and I am told my wait time is 14 minutes.....That's unreasonable..and I am a "train person"....

Also, I participate on a Disney travel Board, and there is always the debate for/against Amtrak to travel to Florida. As I use this service,I am "pro" train travel. The argument of security or lack thereof on trains is always a topic. Do you see this improving ie like sky marshalls or metal detectors on trains?

[Noel Weaver]

It might not get as ridiculous as airport security but the idea of checking passengers before they are allowed to board on a selective basis is just about as ridiculous as it can be. A much better measure would be more guarding of key facilities such as tunnels, bridges, important junction points and yards. Instead of the authorities feuding with railroad photographers, they should be working with them in enhancement of security. To hire enough people to watch over everything would cost a fortune but to enlist the help of those who care would accomplish much at little or no cost.
Noel Weaver

[themallard]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 31, 2006--Duos Technologies, Inc. (Duos) has been awarded a contract to design, manufacture, and install a cutting-edge security system to secure a segment of the Amtrak rail system in Washington, D.C. The total contract is valued at $4.7 million.

This contract is separate but closely associated with the larger National Capital Region Rail Pilot Project (NCRRPP), which is designed to meet the needs of local law enforcement, first responders, and the federal government while supplementing the existing security measures of freight rail operations in the Washington, DC area. The pilot project will include numerous components, including a virtual security fence that will detect moving objects, perimeter breaches, left objects, removed objects, and loitering activity. Data from the fence and the gates will be encrypted and transmitted simultaneously to multiple locations, such as US Capitol Police, US Secret Service, CSX and other applicable federal or local agencies. Duos is executing the contract with its teaming partner, Epsilon Systems Solutions, Inc. (Epsilon). Epsilon is the project prime contractor and program manager for the client, which is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The new Amtrak Security Pilot Project (ASPP) is the result of vulnerability studies conducted over several months by the DHS, the Federal Railroad Association (FRA), Capitol Police, and the Amtrak and CSX Public Safety teams, whose rail corridor connects to Amtrak's rail segment. The ASPP Project is an extension to the NCRRPP and includes the integration of several surveillance technologies, including video analytics and radio frequency identification (RFID).

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