[:I][:)][:)] I meet with the FBI agent this AM. Very nice & professional. We talked for about 1/2 hr. He told me he was close to retirement & was just doing his job. He said prior of 9/11 we would nevr be having this conversation. He said he had spent 2 days doing background work on me.
I came with proof that I was a vol firefighter, Pres of the local historical society, an economic impact statmentmet that I had written for the renovation of the ICRR Depot in Mattoon IL, my involment in other RR museums, a copy of a 2 page letter I got from Senator Obama (IL) agreening with me on the importance of Amtrak & that we should be increasing our support for Amtrak. Plus the latest issue of Trains & Railpace Mag (with appropiate book marks).
I also showed him my keys to the Amtrak station located in the ICRR Depot
We reviewed my pic’s & he took notes. We had a long discussion about the hobby.
Finally when I opened the door to my truck, to put my stuff away he saw my copy of all the hazzardous placards (courtesty of Homeland Security for my haz-mat class). He told me it was out of date & that he would send a 2005 edition to me along with my negatives when they come back in a couple of weeks.
As we parted, he told me he would try to bring his explorer troop to the museum for a train ride.
My only real concern was that I now had a file & I would have problems getting on a plane. He told me that they would keep my file for a period of time & then dispose of it. Getting on a plane???
Well, you might as well go ahead and join the ACLU. In Hoover’s day that was all it took for the FBI to compile a resume.
It is undoubtedly true that the fibbies intend to keep your folder, should there be one, “for a period of time,” since such a “period” could include anything up to the Book of Revelations. “When in doubt, document!” But consider that the soon-to-be-retiring agent had to leave some sort of paper trail to justify his job, even if he described you as the greatest patriot since Patrick Henry.
Keep tabs of him after he retires–he might be allowed to tell you things he couldn’t now. Or not, but surely it helps to be acquainted with a real live agent?
I don’t think you need to worry but if you do, apply for a passport. That’s the very best way to prove you’re a natural-born citizen and entitled to the rights and privleges thereof.
In short, I won’t make light of the interview but even the agent sent a vibe or two that he thought it was silly–would he bring his Explorers for a train ride if he thought he was encouraging disloyal behavior??
The Depot in Mattoon has 3 floors, the layout of the building is hard to explain. The IC was in a “subway” & went under the CCC&StL Tracks) Beside the lobby, 2 baggage rooms (the ICRR interchanged with the CCC&StL depot next door), mail room, there were offices, & a resturant. And what I thought was odd, was the depot also had a water testing lab (I would have thought that would have been in the roundhouse).
If you go to projectdepot.org you can take a vurtial tour of the building. Inside & out.
Rob
next time you come down let me know & I’ll give you a tour
Lots of memories of the Mattoon depot. My aunt lived in Mattoon and in the 60’s and 70’s I spent quite a bit of time there and then the railroad bug bit me and I REALLY spent a lot of time in Mattoon and the depot.
I found my first Employee TT there in the depot. One of my favorite pictures taken was of a WB Penn Central passing the station. Gone, but not forgotten.
That is a neat depot and I wish you well on your project.
My thoughts on the entire security issue are quite complex…and probably not in agreement with most on this forum. We lost a lot on 9-11. I am very cautious about where and when I take pictures these days. The days of innocence are over. We can complain all we want, but the terrorist’s attack changed all of that.
Your wife is a smarty. Best way to travel is via plane. eeven auot is faster then A/trak forgosh sakes. Just think I can go from the lower SE coast of Florida to Portland OR in just 6 hours! [:o)][:p][:)]
Unless he had eyes that turned black or an antenna sticking out of his head I think they had other cases. Though now that you mention that, didn’t they chase a train with the aliens and ended up in the sticks?
OOOooooooo, Scully [:D] she can come investagate me anytime. [:p]
In season three episode 9 “nesei”, and episode 10 “731” mulder finds a video of alien autopsy done in an operating room. This actually takes place inside of a Budd RDC and mulder hops on as it rulls under a bridge. Turns out there is an alien human hybrid and a bomb onboard so mulder gets the conducter to reroute to an unpopulated area where the car can blow up (cool!) and not kill anyone from viruses from the hybrid.
Those were the days! I was a big X-Files fan back in the day, but after Mulder left the show I started to lose interest. I was always a big Scully fan, too! [:p]
Rob
I agree w/Ed.The days of innocense are gone forever or until there is no threat from any terrorist group(s) in or outside of this country…I will say it again,Get your shots out of town,then move to the next photogenic locale…Videomaker
I was really hoping this would all be some sort of prank. I can get past the restriction of liberties aspect of this all. But, if we have an FBI agent taking two days to do a background search on somebody who photographs trains and then taking the time to drive out to your place and spend 30 minutes talking to you, we are going to lose the war on terrorism.
I really don’t understand this, and I don’t understand how our government can allocate resources in such an irresponsible manner.
Heck, I’ve had a half dozen background investigations (for my job) and had to deal with the FBI on a stolen government property investigation once. I’m certain I have a “file.” I travel enough to believe that said file (or files) have little or nothing to do with my access to planes, trains, or automobiles.
I aroused greater suspicion the year I took my kids to Michigan for one of my class reunions. Something about a car with one parent and a bunch of camping gear that tends to pique suspicion at Customs… Fortunately I had the custody order with me.
Occasionally, non-NY law enforcement (and Customs) forget to add the “VF” to my license plate number, so my plate doesn’t register whey they punch it in… No hassles, but maybe a couple of extra questions. On the other hand, one Customs agent simply asked me what state my vehicle was registered in.
Hey guys,
Not all law enforcement encounters are bad. I was railfanning out in the desert near Palm Springs this weekend and was questioned by a BLM cop. It turns out I was in a closed off area and didn’t know it. After we talked for a bit I asked if I had to leave and suprisingly she said I could go ahead and stay where I as at. And this was after she expressed her fustrations about railfans that do so many stupid things (none of which applied to me). How cool is that.[8D]