I think this is really dumb for making railfans get a permit just to be able to tape a train. If this is because of the terriosts, this wont help at all. A terriost could just get a permit and then put a bomb on the track. This is useless. A waste of time.[:(!]
There was a thread on this a while back, “Railfan or Terrorist”
Apparently the permits are free, but they take about a week to process (so they say).
It’s a changed world.
I hope the class 1s don’t do that…what if you end up having to possess a permit to ride amtrak…[:O]
UPTrain, you do have to possess a permit to ride Amtrak… It’s called a ticket.
Perhaps no “permit” is needed to ride Amtrak, but their police unit is now doing extra screening of passengers and their luggage. If the railroads want me to get one of their free permits to railfan in their area, I have no problem with that as I don nothing wrong. If we each have nothing to hide, no problem (PLEASE don’t bore me now with sermons on our rights, etc., as somebody has already said, this is a changed world and we must learn to live within it).
Dosnt every passenger company make you buy a ticket to ride the train?
No, we don’t have to learn to live with it!
No, We Don’t Have To Learn To Live With It!
NO, WE DON’T HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT!
There, got it off my chest. [:)]
If we don’t stand up, fight this foolishness and put an end to the slow squeezing of our RIGHTS there won’t be any RIGHTS left. The people involved in this crusade against terrorism are doing the squeezing, they’ve made it into a crusade - not a war, and they are willing to trample anything that gets in the way of their goal.
If as a Railroad enthusiast and hobbyist I can be an impediment to this threat to our freedoms, a threat that makes the terrorists look like amatuers, then I’m willing to do it.
Mark Gosdin
I agre Mark. Someone has to make the big step against this.
The big step is to end terrorism and to realize where terrorists get their money and who is making excuses for them
Whew, now there’s a loaded question.
This raises some questions.
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Does NJ Transit require railfans to have a permit only if they are watching, taping, or photographing their trains from the platforms of one of their stations, or do they require a permit to watch, tape, or photograph trains from public property?
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Will NJ Transit perform any kind of a background investigation on applicants for permits?
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Will non-New Jersey residents be able to obtain permits?
As I posted a while back Network Rail, who now operates the railroad infrastructure in Great Britain, requires railfans train spotters and the like to notify them in advance when they will be photographing trains, or spotting locomotives from the platforms of their managed stations. Many railroad stations in Great Britain, in fact, the vast majority of them, are manged by one of the train operating companies, and I understand some of them still welcome railfans and train spotters to photograph or spot locomotives from the platforms of the stations they manage without any advance notice.
In a way NJ Transit is within its right to require railfans to obtain permits to photograph their trains from their stations, but since NJ Transit’s permit policy was in place well before September 11, 2001 they ought to come clean and state the real reason for it rather than to claim it is due to terrorism.
Having said that i agree with NJ Mike NJ Transit’s permit po;icy will have little effect.
Permits? We don need no steenking permits!!!
Sounds like getting a hunting license. First you have to pass an approved Railfan Safety Course. Then you can get you permit, which allows you to take a photo, when in season. So you’ll get one locomotive tag and two rolling stock tags. After the pics are developed you have to go to a NJT approved railfan warden to have him stamp your photo. They might have a lottery for additional tags depending on how the season is forecast. For residents it will be $50, non-resident $100. Don’t try to poach a photo though…those wardens mean business…
and he notes -
So what’s new? Railroads have required permits for railfans to enter on their property for more than the 50 years I’ve been taking photos, and some would not allow photos at all.
World War II restrictions forbade any photography of troop trains, or war materiel. It was also forbidden to hang around rail faciclities, including stations. Even as a kid I was taken home by police because I liked to watch the trains, (my favorite spot was sitting on a baggage wagon at Union Station in Nashua, NH and watch the parade of freights hauling tanks or other items to Canada for the convoys to Europe).
It wasn’t always enforced, but I recall that the restrictions lasted into the fifties. I got around it by getting into the terminal, taking as many photos as I could and getting out fast before I got caught. And I did get caught more than once! (But all they did was kick me out).
When I got older I started getting permits. B&M was pretty liberal, but the New Haven restricted me to the platforms at South Station and the B&A wouldn’t give out any - so I did what any good law abiding railfan would do - I trespassed!
Most of the railroads are tolerant of fans but would rather not have one wandering around moving equipment for safety reasons, both for the fan and now for theirs. I’ve been stopped by local police for watching and photographing Amtrak’s trains between Boston & Portland, Maine. I keep a small folder with rail photos in it and once they thumb through it, they leave me alone.
I guess they can’t be blamed for getting edgy. One incident of terrorism without enforced security and heads would roll!..
Wait a minute. What about MoW equipment? Also, what about the stuff on the fallen flag list, since it is getting more and more rare![;)]
I agree strongly with that. [:)]
The railroads have always required anybody to obtain permission to enter their property. Sometimes it was a formal process where you had to sign a release, but other times all you had to do was just ask.
During WW II railroad phtography was forbidden, but hanging around railroad stations wasn’t always forbidden. It is true the ban on railroad photography wasn’t always enforced, but few photos of trains were taken during WW II because film was not widely available, and most of the railfans didn’t have the time.
Any restrictions on railroad photography were lifted shortly after WW II ended, although they might have been imposed selectively during the early 1950’s especially during the Korean War.
Well railfan’s…I guess it’s time to find a new hobby!
Nope! Never! They can’t police all of the trackage all of the time.
If we were to tape some trains, what would they do?
“SIR, DROP THE CAMERA NOW OR WE’LL SHOOT!”
or
“SIR! No looking at the trains without a permit!”
Seriously…