I heard a story that a railfan was arrested recently for criminal tresspass for photographing trains from the platform of the Amtrak station in Baltimore. Anybody know if this is true and what actually happened ? I thought Amtrak's calendar contest told railfans to actually use stations as places to photograph from.
While I have no knowledge regarding this possible incident, somehow I would wager somebody "mouthed off' to a sworn peace officer.
It appears that part of the well publicized New Orleans arrest of a railfan photographer last August involved "mouthing off'. Even the "Morton Grove Two" incident, in which I have personally known (and will vouch for as a good guy - past President of my NRHS Chapter when I was its Treasurer) one of 'the Two' for 40 some years, there was mention of 'constitutional rights" rather than simply "yes sir, no sir'.
Now what I think is incongruous is that Amtrak sponsors this photo contest, yet fans, who I will presume are "acting in good faith', get challenged by law enforcement engaging in an apparently Amtrak sanctioned activity.
I think some kind of 'connect' between whichever department in Amtrak sponsors this photo contest and law enforcement, especially Amtrak's own PD, needs to be made. At present, such appears to be lacking.