Amtraks new Photo policy drafted with help from NPPA

No.

I’m uncertain about this: where does this leave us non-professionals who aren’t wearing a lanyard with an I.D. photo badge on it?

Assuming that the problem with the previous policy was detaining, questioning, and the general perception of harassment, I don’t see how the new policy is going to change that.

Through this new photo policy, Amtrak seems conflicted in trying to reconcile anti-terrorism security with freedom of expression. So they say this:

Public photography/videography is a protected First Amendment right of expression limited by reasonable time, place and manner restrictions. The key word here (as in most cases) being ‘reasonable.’

Does the First Amendment actually restrict photography to a reasonable time, place, and manner, or is that Amtrak’s restriction added to the First Amendment right of photography?

Predicating the policy on the concept of, reasonable seems reasonable, but what is reasonable when you are reacting to terrorism?

I would say that, in Amtrak’s mind, taking touristy pictures of the family on the platform about to board the train would clearly be OK. Otherwise, any unusual interest in equipment or operations

What about small stations with no staff, where you purchase your ticket on board the train? NO ONE is a ticket holder until you buy it from the conductor on board the train.

That’s the way it used to be around here, until Amtrak ended service.

I’m not as sanguine about the revised policy as some are. Some call it reasonable and “a breath of fresh air”. As one who has been photographing Amtrak since 1972 (and other railroads since long before that), I see unreasonable restrictions on my peaceable enjoyment of a benign hobby. I agree with limits on use of platforms in busy, access-controlled stations. But I take many pictures from the outer ends of platforms of smaller stations, away from passengers, not intruding on anyone’s privacy. I am courteous, quiet and careful. But by its wording, the policy bars me from taking pictures from the platforms in, for example, Elizabethtown, PA, an unstaffed station with no facilities of interest to terrorists. I don’t feel that the NPPA worked hard enough on the drafting of that part of the policy. I understand that their main interest is news photography, and that hobby photography is of only marginal importance to them. But they have agreed – on my behalf – to a policy that I feel is too far-reaching. As it happens, I always have a ticket to 30th Street in my bag (I live in Lancaster), but only so that if I get a whim to ride to Philly I can do so. I kinda doubt that an Amcop would see me as a ticketed passenger. (OTOH, gray-haired geezers like me are usually considered harmless!)

This is a good question.

On little town stops, the platform often ends into “the weeds”. So, just stay a bit behind and take a telelens to be out of trouble.

For the Chicago area. How about taking a picture of the CZ (or whatever Amtrak train) on the BNSF “racetrack” from a Metra platform?

Just for example. Take the CZ (or whatever Amtrak train). Are you able to get of during a stop (each stop if you will !) to take pictures?. You have a valid ticket for the train. However, not for the stations between your starting and end point.

To stay with the CZ. I personally had to hear the bangs of some objects thrown by youngsters near Chicago toward “my” bypassing CZ. How to take care of such things?. However they did not stay on a platform and had no camera in hand. This example shows us how dangerous cameras on platforms are!!

Or taking pictures from a bridge etc.: Is a bridge etc always private property?

It is easily to see, lot of questions are open.

Herby DA

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Heck, we could be standing on the viewing platform at Folkston, GA and there would be some yahoo who would think we were a threat…

Railfan photography from non-restricted areas is permitted, but even in such non-restricted areas, the reason for the photography must be known by Amtrak. If they don’t know the reason for the photography, they don’t have security. So, it seems to me that the reasonable, and only thing to do would be to question every photographer in non-restricted areas to find out why they are taking photographs. I don’t see any other way for them to follow their own policy.

After reading the Epistle Against Photographers by Amtrak again I still find it ambiguous and vague. So much so that anyone representing Amtrak or a law enforcement agency or a nervous homeland security freak could come down hard on even a 5 year old toting a Brownie or a precosios 3 year old with a cell phone.

Just back from a trip to Oregon I wonder.

Could make some pictures of a Cascade Talgo in a station. Do not write the name of the station, in case the Amtrak man may get in trouble about this. Of course I did ask before taking pictures. The reply was, take as many (pictures) as you want to. To be sure, I told him about that new policy. Just in case he was not aware or forgot about that in this moment (he was bussy with bagagge, tickets etc. at this moment). But nevertheless he did not mind (mean, he did not say something like: Oh boy you are right, NO pictures please).

So, as a joke, told him: Too bad, only some 600 or so pictures left on the (fresh) SD card.

Resulting in a good laugh as an answer.

During this trip, went also out to Multnomah falls. The UP line is so close, that you can make pictures from the parking lot. If my camera had not “told me” BATTERY LOW. I could have taken a good video sequence from a not too long UP freight with double stacks etc…

So folks out there, what did you experience with Amtrak ??

Herby DA

PS: How often does this happen to you out there with that BATTERY LOW stuff.

Of course I had replacement Battery’s along. But the UP did not wait for that exchange (again; of course).

What do they do to painters?