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Okay, I think we need to take a little breather here. You were taking pictures from public property. This is both legal and constitutional. Someone thought you looked suspicious, so they reported you. This is both legal and constitutinal (though somebody really ought to talk to him or her about hobbies like ours). An agent from the FBI called you. This is both legal and constitutional. The FBI agent asked to see your photographs. This is both legal and constitutional. If he were not an FBI agent, but he asked to see your photographs (maybe if he was a railfan too), you wouldn't hesitate to show him your great new pictures of an ex-Conrail GE-8-40C or something. You agreed to show him your pictures, which is legal and constitutional, and the right choice. After all, if you said no, if he wanted to see them, he might get a warrant (whether he'd get it is debatable), and you would be sharing your photographs under less friendly circumstances. Don't blame him for being obtrusive--you surrendered your right to the privacy of your photographs voluntarily, he was just doing his job. Remember, that for all the bad press it gets, the FBI, CIA, Secret Service, and so forth, are there to help you. Did a con-scheme in the Bahamas buy arms with money you sent them for humanitarian aid? You go to one of these guys. Did a bank get held up? The FBI is on it. If he told you that you couldn't watch trains ever again, then we have problems, but, at least this far, though it might rub you the wrong way, everything that has happened is legal and constitutional. Do we sometimes get ordered away from tracks in violation of our rights? Yes, but this isn't one of those cases. When you talk with him, check his ID (Dan is right, if it is an imposter, then we have an actual PROBLEM), cooperate, and next time, he will probably realize that the guy with scanner, timetable, and camera by the tracks is just another foamer. Do be sure to point out that railfans will be the first members of the public to recognize if something is wrong (we see smoking traction motors, shifted loads, stuff like that). Sincerely, Daniel Parks
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