Pilot Project To Screen Rail Passenger Carry-Ons

[RudyRockvilleMD]

Two weeks ago the Transportation Security Administration announced it would undertake a pilot program to screen railroad passenger carry-on's at the New Carrollton, MD suburban station. This station is a stop for all MARC trains and many Atrak trains; it is also the terminal of Metro's Orange Line.

The project will start sometime in May, and it could last for 2 -3 months. One of its purposes is to determine if it is posible to screen railroad passenger's carry-on luggage without delaying trains or without causing passengers to miss trains. They will also consider what technologies are applicable to screening railroad passenger carry-on's.

However, the announcement raised some questions;
1. Who will do the screening? Transportation Security Administration
personnel or contractors?
2. Will the screening devices be film-friendly?
3. Will passengers be entitiled to request and receive a hand inspection of
their belongings?

The New Carrollton Amtrak/MARC station is situated so access to its platform can be limited to ticketed passengers only, and nobody is allowed on the platform until a train is due. It also has an enclosed area for a waiting room and ticket sales where passengers could be screened without being exposed to the elements.

However, manyl Amtrak and commuter rail stations do not have enclosed areas or controlled access. Several Amtrak, and many commuter rail, stations are merely a platform with a bus stop-like shelter with no access control. Assuming the screening of rail passenger's carry-on's is mandated how are passengers to be screened at such stations?

Should the screening of passengers' belongings also be extended to chartered trains or fan-trip specials?

Comments on screening of railroad passengers' carry-on luggage would be interesting.

[Anonymous]

Are buses next?

I suppose to an extent it is appropriate, but where are they going to stop?

50 years down the line are we going to have to screen our bags before we enter a building of any kind? Is this world going to be like going from one maximum security prison to another on a daily basis?

It's too bad things have to be this way.

[Wdlgln005]

1) TSA will monitor any contractors hired to do the job
2) If they use airline screeners, it will not be film-friendly. In an age of digital, this will soon be a moot point. Compact flash & other memory chips will go thru fine.
3) I don't see how any train station will have the space for any airline style screening system. Too many points of entry to the side of the train. What we will see is trained dogs on the platform sniffing for whatever.
4) The preferred device will have to be some type of portable unit to check boarding passengers. Every bag will have to be identified & no bag can be left unattented for long periods of time. I wonder if there is a way to enclose the overhead racks on a train, as people claim their seat but spend time in the diner or lounge car.
5) The whole purpose will be to try to find explosives.
6) This enterprise will end up being a waste of money. Some passengers may be detained & miss their train THe problem we are confronting is with suicide bombers that would kill themselves & endanger others on the train.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Wdlgln005

1) TSA will monitor any contractors hired to do the job
2) If they use airline screeners, it will not be film-friendly. In an age of digital, this will soon be a moot point. Compact flash & other memory chips will go thru fine.
3) I don't see how any train station will have the space for any airline style screening system. Too many points of entry to the side of the train. What we will see is trained dogs on the platform sniffing for whatever.
4) The preferred device will have to be some type of portable unit to check boarding passengers. Every bag will have to be identified & no bag can be left unattented for long periods of time. I wonder if there is a way to enclose the overhead racks on a train, as people claim their seat but spend time in the diner or lounge car.
5) The whole purpose will be to try to find explosives.
6) This enterprise will end up being a waste of money. Some passengers may be detained & miss their train THe problem we are confronting is with suicide bombers that would kill themselves & endanger others on the train.

I agree - any safeguards you take, a terrorist will find a way around them. Compare this to counterfeiting - they haven't invented a bill that will stop counterfeiting.
They don't have a security system that will stop a terrorist bent on making his mark - literally!

[zardoz]

A good idea, but one doomed to be next to useless.

What I dread is when the terrorists start using car (and truck) bombs (think Oklahoma City). Absolutely no way (yet) of stopping those!

Stop one leak and another will develop.

[vsmith]

The Metro Link train stops here are little better than bus stops, just a ticket machine and a bench in some places. Any would be terrorist is going to pick the weakest point to get on, what good is all this stuff going to be unless its installed at every point of entry on the system? That means gates, ticket booth, security kiosk, at EVERY station. Who's going to foot the bill for that?

[RudyRockvilleMD]

Originally posted by macguy

Are buses next?

I understand Greyhound is already screening passengers' carry-on luggage here in their Washington, DC station.

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