Taking Pics

Anyone who has taken pics on SEPTA & PATCO. Have you ever had any problems?

In today's more security conscious environment, you can and should expect to be questioned pretty much anywhere transportation or commerce is involved, even when observing from public property. While SEPTA seems to be a little more tolerant of photography than some other agencies, they officially do not permit photography on or from their property. PATCO is very restrictive and the local jurisdictions along the line cooperate completely with the transit police force. AMTRAK and NS in the Philadelphia area are also pretty tough about anyone on or near the railroad.

I was hassled once at Fern Rock.

A friend was hassled a different time at Fern Rock when I was with him.

SEPTA has a policy of requiring a photo permit. The policy is rarely enforced, and is unknown to many SEPTA employees.

One minute after I took the photo linked below, the group that I had been with (I was by then descending the stairs to the PATCO platform) got screamed at by SEPTA goons for photographing the train.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/274 ... 9190xHgFiK

At least one PATCO train operator is telling railfan photographers that photographing PATCO from PATCO property is forbidden. I haven't yet tested this, but I probably will.

I was a big PATCO booster for many years, but now they can go Cheney themselves.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/111 ... jQaovBFtHF

Bob

When I made my four trips to Philly to ride all of Septa, I had no problems. However, they exist. It's just that its not enforced. Even NJT doesn't always enforce it. It's mainly the police. Some crews do so too. I've heard the storys at Patco. That's one rapid transit I would like to railfan. I have ridden it once. I like the cars.

When I took this photo I made sure no one was around a quickly got the camera out and put it away.

PATCO in Center City Philly

When I took this photo at SEPTA's Cornwell Heights Station of an Amtrak Regional Train my fellow passengers looked at me as if I was some crazy person

Olton Hall wrote:When I took this photo I made sure no one was around a quickly got the camera out and put it away.

PATCO in Center City Philly

I took a similar pic at 8th & Market four years ago (not long after nine-eleven). An old lady told getting off the train me I shouldn't take that photo, for security reasons. I told her the train went into service in 1969 and that the "enemy" would not benefit from my photograph.

PATCO has to have one of the most unpredictable photo policies out there. The legality of photography seems to be entirely up to whoever happens to see you. I've shot video from the RFW between WRTC and Ferry Ave with two DRPA cops and an operator next to me and none of them said anything. I once had an operator ask to shoot a few pictures while we went over the Ben Franklin into Philly. I don't think he quite figured out the autofocus so all I got were some blue and white blurry pictures, but it was still very cool. Then other times I've either been looking at my pictures or even had the camera sitting on my lap or draped over my shoulder, totally unused and had the operator somewhat gratiously inform me photography is illegal. At this point I don't even worry whether photography is illegal since the operator will undoubtedly inform me and I'll humbly apologize, I just make sure I'm not being informed by the same T/O more than once a month. A few times I've sat on the benches at 15th-16th and let a train go because it had a photography unfriendly T/O while the following train had a more enlightened T/O.

Of course SEPTA isn't much better. On various trips I've been yelled at at Fern Rock, invited into Elmwood to take photos of PCC IIs, allowed to take a cab photo of a Silverliner IV, talked photography with an MFL operator at 69th, done the same with an LRO guy at 40th St portal, allowed into Southern depot to photograph AMG trolleybuses and New Flyer hybrids, and was almost arrested (or at least cornered and questioned by a SEPTA police officer) at 8th and Market for photographing a Broad Ridge train. Sometimes I wish they'd establish a uniform code for photography, but I fear that'd just result in them eliminating all but the most innocent photography within the system.

I have never had a problem. Most Septa employees look at me and just DONT care.