South Station Property Of...?

[GP40MC 1116]

I was wondering if anyone knew the owner of S Station.. be it the MBTA, MBCR or Amtrak. I was wondering because I always seem to get in trouble for taking photos' their.I get their point w terrorism and stuff but if it's a big deal.. why don't they post it somewhere. Their is nowhere in S Station that says PHOTO"s prohibited. It also gets me mad when i spend like 30 mins out of my way to go to The Transportatin Bld and get a photo pass just for a officer to tell me thats not good enough. Any help is appreciated!

[CS]

I am almost sure that the MBTA owns South Station.

[trigonalmayhem]

According to this website:
http://www.pps.org/gps/one?public_place_id=116#

South Station reopened in 1989 after undergoing major renovation, the concept for which has successfully transformed a run-down terminal plagued with security problems into an active public amenity and focal point for the area around it. The renovation was funded through a three-way private/public partnership among the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Commuter Rail, the owner of the Station; Amtrak, an anchor tenant; and Beacon South Station Associates (BSSA). Beacon Management Company manages the facility today.

So yes, the MBTA owns it.

[octr202]

If you have an MBTA photo pass, you should be allowed to photograph in South Station, just as you would in a subway station.

However, the police may feel that they have a right to keep people off of platforms unless they're boarding a train. I've noticed that South Station is one of the few major stations on the NEC where you can access the platforms at all without a ticket. I can recall being at Union Station (DC) in the early '90's and being told that there was absolutely no way anyone was allowed outside to the platforms without a ticket, period. The fact that South Station is different probably stems equally from the fact that its really an MBTA property (not Amtrak), and the layout of entrances and the bus terminal (i.e., some of the platform area is a pedestrian corridor).

Were these MBTA or Amtrak police kicking you out? Amtrak police may not be aware of MBTA photo pass policy, however, I can't recall if I've seen them at South Station since the MBCR takeover.

[GP40MC 1116]

Yea. To be honest. I have never had a MBTA cop hassle me,it's always the Amtrak PD that are hanging arround their. I remember i was getting photo's at Maverick Sta on the T Blue Line when an opperatior asked me about what i was doing, all i simply did was go up and flash the pass and he said ok. He really couldn't have make much of a converstation as he was trying to close the doors, and get his train moving

[CRail]

Actually I was the one canned while I was waiting for GP40MC 1116 to get off the bus upstairs. I believe it was an MBTA cop who was very rude and made us leave the station, as I was cooperative and supplied him with whatever he asked for.

[Ron Newman]

Another reason for unrestricted access to the South Station platforms: there's a back entrance to the Post Office next to Track 13.

[GP40MC 1116]

Yea I Understand all the security reason's but i mean if your nice about it and if they understood that people actually like trains then it would be good. I Know that at N Station i walk down the end of the platforms and wave to the engineer's as the pull in( lets just say have a connection from someone) It also amazed me how Amtrak gets so fussy if u want to do on their track to take photos, they dont' seem to get that N Sta's platforms have tracks on either side so it doesn't mean i want to look at the amtrak stuff. To be honest ive foudn MBTA and MBCR emplyee's very helpful and nice. And on occation ive even walked up to a AEM-7 and talked w the engineer and he let me look inside. To make since of it, if things were a big deal then the Amtrak or BPD or whoever should post something, so the public knows

[njt/mnrrbuff]

How is most of the crew with people taking pictures along the commuter lines, lets say the Plymouth. I am planning to make a railfan trip to Bos on Acela in Jan. That photo permit policy is way too inconvenient. Even when I finished my last mileage on NJT out to High Bridge, I took pictures and no one bothered me.

[MBTA F40PH-2C 1050]

out on the suburban stations, no one really minds, the crew is always friendly with me when i take pics of trains, South Station is the only place where i would run into a problem w/ police or crew

[njt/mnrrbuff]

I think my next commuter railfanning challenge is to ride as much MBTA as I can, definately an Amtrak trip up to Portland. the only thing with that, you cover a fraction of two lines. My highest priority on the northside would be the Rockport and Newburyport Lines. I am an aquatic railfan guy.

[Otto Vondrak]

Is this thread about who owns South Station, or who can get thrown out of South Station first?

-otto-

[Ken W2KB]

Or dodging the pigeons flying around inside the main waiting room.

[GP40MC 1116]

Well i started it about asking who the real owner was, i was getting sick and tired of Amtrak PD hasseling me w the photo thing even though i had a MBTA photo pass. If these yellow passes don't work, why not just don't issue them. Ive never had a problem on the subway as a matter of fact

[southstationtrack13]

I had lost a key to a Bike that was chained to a Bike rack in South Station
I was informed that I had to go to a private Office to get permission to take a bolt cutter to it to cut the lock. The Platforms are Amtrak but the Hall is a private developer. Dont ask me who it is but next time I will ask.