Amtrak in the age of terrorism

[Devil's Advocate]

You could make a good case for the initial surge in hijackings of the 1970's as the age of terrorism.

That's certainly when the metal detector age began.

Or the routine attacks on foreign assets of the 1980's

Terrorism became a fact of life for many countries back then.

Or the wave of domestic attacks of the 1990's that actually included a successful and deadly attack against Amtrak.

Instead it's April 2013 that is the "age of terror."

This isn't the age of terror so much as the AGE OF FEAR.

But trying to explain terrorism in 2013 is like trying to explain climate change.

It's virtually impossible to get the message across and nobody wants to hear it so why bother?

 

[SP&S]

FDR couldn't have known how right he was when he spoke "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself".

 

[Ocala Mike]

.

- it's like worrying that giant mutant elephants will go mad and attack us here in Minnesota.

True, but always remember that the price of elephant insurance always goes up when the circus is in town. Right now, there's a very good chance that events in Boston could spawn some "copycat" plots.

 

[JoeBas]

True, but always remember that the price of elephant insurance always goes up when the circus is in town. Right now, there's a very good chance that events in Boston could spawn some "copycat" plots.

It's just a piece of paper that says "Volcano Insurance" over and over and over.

And here at the bottom, look... "He's signing it, he's signing it... I can't believe he's signing it!"

Translation --> Confuscius say "Even when circus is in town, only fool buy elephant insurance".

 

[ScottC4746]

Yes, this has concerned me after Boston about our upcoming rail trip that while larger stations have good security, the smaller stations in between is just a walk up and board. I nearly canceled my upcoming trip in 4 weeks but we discussed it and agreed if we do, THEY win.

 

[battalion51]

True, but always remember that the price of elephant insurance always goes up when the circus is in town. Right now, there's a very good chance that events in Boston could spawn some "copycat" plots.

It's just a piece of paper that says "Volcano Insurance" over and over and over.

And here at the bottom, look... "He's signing it, he's signing it... I can't believe he's signing it!"

Translation --> Confuscius say "Even when circus is in town, only fool buy elephant insurance".

That's Lois' rainy day fund!

 

[JoeBas]

On the plus side... if all the people scared of bright lights and loud noises go back under their bed and hide... lower buckets for the rest of us!

 

[fillyjonk]

Yes, this has concerned me after Boston about our upcoming rail trip that while larger stations have good security, the smaller stations in between is just a walk up and board. I nearly canceled my upcoming trip in 4 weeks but we discussed it and agreed if we do, THEY win.

My greater concern is that some "bright light" (in Congress or where-ever) will take it into their head that those small intermediate stations are so great a risk, that they should just be closed down, so everyone who wants to use Amtrak needs to drive to a larger city to get on the train. Just like with airports in much of the country.....

I suspect "see something, say something" would be in even greater force at one of those tiny stations; someone behaving in a bad-weird way would stand out even more than in a crowded city station.

 

[CelticWhisper]

Yes, this has concerned me after Boston about our upcoming rail trip that while larger stations have good security, the smaller stations in between is just a walk up and board. I nearly canceled my upcoming trip in 4 weeks but we discussed it and agreed if we do, THEY win.

That's interesting because I'm concerned in the exact opposite direction. Being extremely introverted like MistyOLR, I take Amtrak expressly to avoid TSA, and they seem more likely to have a presence at larger stations. I'd have to find a way to get to a small station if it ever came to pass that airport-style passenger screening was established at major rail terminals.

Needless to say I'm still a little on edge about my upcoming trip to PVD in August. "Just leave me alone" utterly fails in airports but still seems to work wonderfully on trains. I don't fancy the thought of a solo road trip all the way from Chicago to Providence and back.

 

[crescent2]

I'm going to go about my normal life, except lobby to outlaw pressure cookers. *puts tomato-proof covering on laptop*

 

[Ispolkom]

I'm going to go about my normal life, except lobby to outlaw pressure cookers. *puts tomato-proof covering on laptop*

You can have my pressure cooker when you pry it out of my well-stocked kitchen.

 

[fillyjonk]

I'm going to go about my normal life, except lobby to outlaw pressure cookers. *puts tomato-proof covering on laptop*

(rolls eyes) You may not have to; apparently Williams-Sonoma (at least) has pulled them off the shelves for now. They claim it's a show of respect, I'm wondering if it's a CYA move.

When they outlaw pressure cookers, only outlaws will have pressure cookers.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Has anyone traveled this week? Is there additional security, i.e. bag sniffing dogs, security checks on the trains in the North East?

 

[AlanB]

I'm on an Acela going home from Boston right now. Saw more police than normal, and yesterday in NY they did seem to be doing random bag checks and those boarding during the general boarding had to walk by a police bomb dog. Since I was in the lounge I avoided that problem.

Didn't see much going on in Boston, other than a few more police personnel. But then it was early in the morning too, as I was on the 8:10 Acela.

 

[Shanghai]

I was on an Acela yesterday from New York to Philadelphia. I saw two policemen walk through our car

(Quiet Car) and there was a policeman with a dog on the platform when we boarded in Philadelphia

on our return trip.

 

[railiner]

I'm going to go about my normal life, except lobby to outlaw pressure cookers. *puts tomato-proof covering on laptop*

(rolls eyes) You may not have to; apparently Williams-Sonoma (at least) has pulled them off the shelves for now. They claim it's a show of respect, I'm wondering if it's a CYA move.

When they outlaw pressure cookers, only outlaws will have pressure cookers.

It's something I had thought about....just like there was a run on buying assault rifles when gun-lovers thought they would soon be outlawed, I wonder if there will be a run on those purchasing pressure-cookers, thinking along the same lines.... hboy:

 

[railiner]

I've never considered a terrisom ON a train. With the tens of thousands of miles of track in unguarded areas, I've always considered that to be the open underbelly of train travel. Years ago there was the derailment out west where either a tie or a pole was embedded into the RoW under some ties and pointing towards the oncoming traffic.
While many of us do hang around RoWs and yards, I would think most of us would know when something is not right.

Yes, it would be possible to consider someone bringing a bomb on board to have it blow in a major city terminal, but there are many other places where railroads are really exposed.

I actually have more concern on traveling over old UP trackage than having a bomb on board.

I was thinking along these same lines....sabotaging a railroad in some remote area, and using some remote control device to set it off when a passenger train passed, would seem to be a much 'softer' target for a would-be terrorist. To guard against this sort of attack could be accomplished by installing a network of camera's to view the whole railway, with a computer monitoring it that would 'recognize' any suspicious activity, and alert security forces for further investigation.

 

[MiRider]

Has anyone traveled this week? Is there additional security, i.e. bag sniffing dogs, security checks on the trains in the North East?

I traveled last week CHI-PDX and SEA-CHI

No extra security seen at PDX or SEA

CHI was a different story - numerous, jacketed TSA and not only one dog but quite a few.

My HOM-CHI train was mucho late so I didn't have to deal with any security, just followed the Amtrak CSR to the EB that was being held for us.

On my return, I used a redcap to get to my CHI-HOM train from the EB and totally bypassed all security theater.

 

[leemell]

I'm going to go about my normal life, except lobby to outlaw pressure cookers. *puts tomato-proof covering on laptop*

(rolls eyes) You may not have to; apparently Williams-Sonoma (at least) has pulled them off the shelves for now. They claim it's a show of respect, I'm wondering if it's a CYA move.

When they outlaw pressure cookers, only outlaws will have pressure cookers.

It's something I had thought about....just like there was a run on buying assault rifles when gun-lovers thought they would soon be outlawed, I wonder if there will be a run on those purchasing pressure-cookers, thinking along the same lines.... hboy:

Was a run? In the last year the gun and ammunition sales are at an all time high, more that 1.2 million guns a month. Ammunition and ammo components are in very short supply, a box of .22 ammo that used to cost $10. now costs $50. --- when you can find it. Manufacturers of ammo are running 24/7 to try to fill the supply chain. It shows no sign of abating, nobody knows when it will.

 

[NW cannonball]

I'm going to go about my normal life, except lobby to outlaw pressure cookers. *puts tomato-proof covering on laptop*

(rolls eyes) You may not have to; apparently Williams-Sonoma (at least) has pulled them off the shelves for now. They claim it's a show of respect, I'm wondering if it's a CYA move.

When they outlaw pressure cookers, only outlaws will have pressure cookers.

It's something I had thought about....just like there was a run on buying assault rifles when gun-lovers thought they would soon be outlawed, I wonder if there will be a run on those purchasing pressure-cookers, thinking along the same lines.... hboy:

Was a run? In the last year the gun and ammunition sales are at an all time high, more that 1.2 million guns a month. Ammunition and ammo components are in very short supply, a box of .22 ammo that used to cost $10. now costs $50. --- when you can find it. Manufacturers of ammo are running 24/7 to try to fill the supply chain. It shows no sign of abating, nobody knows when it will.

My take -- people buying guns and trying to buy ammo - some folks are scared and think a gun will help - it might be so. Having guns might not be a help with the weensy threats we have ween so far.

But the "terrorist threat" - is so small - not to say nothing --

B

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Guns are no match for statistics, but they'll sure as heck kill all the statisticians, and in the end isn't that just as good to a gun fanatic?

 

[Big Iron]

Guns are no match for statistics, but they'll sure as heck kill all the statisticians, and in the end isn't that just as good to a gun fanatic?

No