Railfan Petition.

[DutchRailnut]

One of our rail/transit fans created a petition on the spreading Photo ban at:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/notransitpicban
please read it and consider signing it, this photoban could spread to freight railroads or and LIRR/MNCR as well.
and what would be next ?? the shut down of rail forums ??

[UpperHarlemLine4ever]

Dutchrailnut and all others,

The MTA Police already will stop you and challenge you if you are seen photoing any rail site even if on a public street. Are they legally allowed to, no, but you'll be the one behind bars, have to hire an attorney and yes have a criminal record, which even if the charges are dismissed, will remain FOREVER with you. It's not worth it. Like I've said before, either challenge it now or stop taking photos. The choice is yours.

Railroads have never liked people taking photos of their facilities and are simply jumping on 9/11 and 3/11 as an excuse. Do terrorists need photos to blow up rail facilities? I don't think so and IF they did, they'll get them anyway via such simple items as cell phone cameras. After all, we wouldn't stop those darlings from making phone calls would we?

[Sean W.]

I just "signed" the railfan petition.

There comes a time when one must stand up and be counted. Security is security but this is an absurdity. Increased security presence? Fine. Reasonable guidleines to determine non-suspicious photography. OK. This is lunacy, nothing more, nothing less.

I had my doubts before, but this makes me realize that we've got to stand up for our freedoms, or lose them...

BTW, my apologies for my accidental double post which has just been removed.

[Head-end View]

As one recent petition signer pointed out, railfans are extra sets of eyes, which can benefit the railroad. Case in point: A few months back the train I was boarding came into the station with no headlights on. As I boarded, I informed the conductor of this; he went out on the platform to see for himself and then told the engineer. After the engineer reset the circuit breaker, he stuck his head out of the cab door and thanked me for having pointed out the problem to them.

A good example of railfans and train crews being on the "same team".

[jfturner]

At What Price Should Freedom be Sacrificed for Safety?

Freedom unfortunately requires a degree of risk.
Yet most Americans believe you can have safety and still be 100% free. This is not true. Freedom comes at a price. Politicians will tell you otherwise, afterall, that is what the majority of Americans want to hear. It borders between being naive and ignorant.

Restricting our freedoms and trying to create a police state is exactly the goal is of terrorism. We must learn to live with risk if we are to remain free. We cannot continue down this path. To do so means only those in power win because eventually a police state could exist.

They (politicians) are willing to take my camera and thus my fundamental freedom to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" but the majority of them won't dare try to take my gun. Maybe its because guns have a lobby (no problem there, that's democrcacy). Its time freedom has a lobby too, and its called going on with life.

Finally - our forefathers once tangled with the same question. Though in a different context. For those who truly understand this nation's history. (And most people don't anymore) There was a thing called the "French & Indian War." The colonists asked England at the time to supply troops to protect us (see "Safety") from the French and their Native-American allies. England gladly helped out. But there was a high cost - so England started to tax the colonists on everything and gave them no voice in Parliament or with the King. This taxation without representation was a form of lost freedom. Hence we then had the Revolution.

We can never be safe if we want to remain free. We just need to be prepared to deal with whatever happens.

Jeff Turner
Shrewsbury, MA
5/28/2004