PATH Photo Policy

Tommy Meehan wrote: But it is a rule not a law. To be an actual law either New York State or New Jersey's legislature would have to write a bill banning all photograpy of PATH equipment and pass it into law.

Not a completely accurate statement. True that a "law" is a statute enacted by a state. But, once government agencies duly adopt regulations (a/k/a rules) in accordance with that agency's enabling statute and/or the applicable state or federal administrative procedure act, those regulations are fully enforceable and have the full force and effect of a law. So the distinction is essentially moot.

As to the other post, stating that the PA cannot prohibit photos of PATH from vantage points outside of PA property, that is correct. However, the regulation does not contain that broad proscription, but rather is limited by Section II which states in pertinent part: "These rules regulate conduct on any portion of the PATH, including the Center, unless reference is made to any specific portion of PATH . . ." Thus *all* of the PATH regulations apply only to PATH property. So the regulations by their specific language do not attempt to regulate photography from outside the PATH system.

Curiously, it appears that the sections of the PATH regulations linked in the above post do not contain any penalties for violations of any of the rules, other than under III(C) denial of permission to use PATH property.

I agree with you Ken on photos outside of PATH's property.

Semi-related, has anyone received a citation on PATH for taking photo's/other offenses?

Well, PATH seems to be a bit overzealous about security. Could it because they owned the then-WTC towers?

Keep in mind a permit isn't all. Somebody linked me to a post on SubChat describing someone attempting to apply for a permit. The process is tedious, and even then, you have to work with the limitations of no infrastructure photos and the presence of a station exit in every shot.

Amtrak7 wrote:Well, PATH seems to be a bit overzealous about security. Could it because they owned the then-WTC towers?

I think they -- meaning PANYNJ -- had already sold the Twin Towers prior to September 2001. But I get your point.

Only they -- meaning both PANYNJ and PATH -- were well known for being very zealous long before 9/11. And they're thought of that way, not just by railfans, but rail industry people too. Example-

Two retired transit executives both tried -- on separate occasions -- to apply in person for PATH senior citizen cards (yes they have them) at the Journal Square offices. Both said this was routine on the systems they previously were employed by, for people to show up in person for a senior citizen card.

But neither gentleman could get past the security guards at Journal Square. They would not allow them entry into the PATH offices. One guy wrote, "Probably thought we were terrorists disguised as senior citizens." LOL

PATH have cameras everywhere, including inside the new PA5's.

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TREnecNYP wrote:PATH have cameras everywhere, including inside the new PA5's.

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this was mentioned already, but the CCTV camera's inside the PA-5's are not live feed, so it's still safe to take pics inside, although i would do it more conspicously.

Fan Railer wrote:

TREnecNYP wrote:PATH have cameras everywhere, including inside the new PA5's.

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this was mentioned already, but the CCTV camera's inside the PA-5's are not live feed, so it's still safe to take pics inside, although i would do it more conspicously.

I think you mean less conspicuously.

yeah, my bad