Cop In A Box??

[CNJ Fan 4evr]

I went by Perth Amboy station yesterday and saw a box up on a scissor lift (high-lo,cherry picker,or whatever you call it). It said New Jersey Transit Police on it.It appeared to have a camera system of some kind. I wondered if it was manned in any way or is it remote? Anybody else see this?

[philipmartin]

This was discussed last August. The last post, by hazmatmess, said that he told people it was a "sniper tower". , but did't get any positave responses.
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 9&t=157287" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[philipmartin]

Here's a December 2012 story about it. It looks to me like a good way to make our taxes higher. I can't imagine it having an effect on crime anywhere but at its current location.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/11/ ... ght-crime/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CNJ Fan 4evr]

Thanks. Actually it did deter me from stopping and waiting to shoot (with a video camera) a coast line train as I didn't want a hassle as to why I was hanging around. Just outside the parking lot on southbound side were two cops. One on a motorcycle.Probably regular Perth Amboy cops.

[philipmartin]

Thanks. Actually it did deter me from stopping and waiting to shoot (with a video camera) a coast line train...

I'm glad it prevented that crime from being committed, well worth its $100,000.00 cost.
I heard on the news yesterday that the police have a tower in Times Square.

[GSC]

State police as well as county sheriff departments and even local towns are acquiring these towers. There was one sitting at the Jersey Shore Outlets Mall in Tinton Falls for a few weeks. There were reports of complaints the other day on the TV news about one parked in Thompkins Square Park in NYC.

Looks like a 1:1 scale version of the latest Star Wars machine to wind up in your next Happy Meal.

[philipmartin]

I heard on the news yesterday that the police have a tower in Times Square.

Maybe I'm thinking of Tompkins Square Park.

[CentralValleyRail]

Thanks. Actually it did deter me from stopping and waiting to shoot (with a video camera) a coast line train as I didn't want a hassle as to why I was hanging around. Just outside the parking lot on southbound side were two cops. One on a motorcycle.Probably regular Perth Amboy cops.

No Cop is going to deter me from taking pictures of trains if I want to. Know your railfan rights and don't be afraid to speak up if one harasses you about it.

Contrary to that I haven't had a cop walk up to me in over 10 years and ask why I was taking a picture so I don't think that should be a concern for anyone.

Those towers are used in some of the bigger station's parking lots and are manned from time to time and help deter away car break ins and or sorts of petty crime which I am all for.

[nick11a]

Thanks. Actually it did deter me from stopping and waiting to shoot (with a video camera) a coast line train as I didn't want a hassle as to why I was hanging around. Just outside the parking lot on southbound side were two cops. One on a motorcycle.Probably regular Perth Amboy cops.

No Cop is going to deter me from taking pictures of trains if I want to. Know your railfan rights and don't be afraid to speak up if one harasses you about it.

Contrary to that I haven't had a cop walk up to me in over 10 years and ask why I was taking a picture so I don't think that should be a concern for anyone.

Those towers are used in some of the bigger station's parking lots and are manned from time to time and help deter away car break ins and or sorts of petty crime which I am all for.

True. I had quite a few cops "harass" me ten years ago, but this has not happened in a very long time. It seems that the cops themselves have since learned more on the whole of what they can and cannot do.

[philipmartin]

Many years ago I saw a guy photographing the Pennsy bridge over the Hackensack River, (the PATH bridge,) that made me suspicious. It looked funny; I worked there at the time.

Another story: I was in high school during the Korean war, and I used to crawl the rail yards on the west side of the Hudson River, snapping pictures. One day I walked into Greenville and a railroad cop whom I think didn't have much to do, and wanted to justify his pay, grabbed me. He was trying to make me out as some sort of Communist agent; and then he turned me over to the Jersey City police, in the Medical Center. The detective there tried to make me out a guy who was robbing box cars. In those days I didn't even know that kids did that; although I found it out in a big way years later, when I was working Pennsy towers in Jersey City.
And for injustice; a friend and I rode our bikes up to Harmon, NY, and walked into the yard to shoot NYC power. A New York Central cop grabbed us and told us to sign a release, which we did, figuring he would let us shoot the trains then. He didn't; he kicked us out. No justice.

[chuchubob]

The box without a cop was on display for a while last year at the 36th Street Pennsauken River LINE station parking lot. It came back last week.