Irony of Amtrak Photo Contest

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

The NewsWire http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/005/832lkwfp.asp today reports that Amtrak is having a photo contest. More details at http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Copy/Hot_Deals_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1093553989353&ssid=224.

I find this ironic. Over the past couple of years there have been plenty of posts of modelers and railfans getting driven away from public property when they stopped to photograph trains. And here is one inviting people to do just that.

Has the tension over security lessened? Or is Amtrak just breaking ranks with the freight railroads when it comes to terrorism concern?

Your thoughts?

2

Amtrak needs all the goodwill it can get as Bush & Mineta strangle it to death. A low-cost PR campaign like a photo contest serves them well.

The freight carriers, who never thought highly of railfans to begin with, saw the opportunity to rid itself of their perceived pests under the guise of “National Security.” They took their cue from the Justice Department to use the threat of terror for their own ends, to accomplish what they would never have gotten away with before we accepted a climate of fear.

Just my humble opinion, of course.

Wayne