Rail Photography, back to the future?

I have read with quite interest everyone’s take about the railroads’ attitude on railfans, rail photography, etc., basing the foundation of Homeland Security as an excuse. Doing some research I came across this article I think some of you may find interesting.

"Since the beginning of the _____war, railfan photographers have been coming up against numerous restrictions of their activities. The ____assures that no orders banning railfan activities have been issued. The restrictions seem to be growing out of the activities of individual roads in compliance with a request by the ___, that they tighten up on the release of could be vital railroad information if the US were attacked.

The degree of restriction varies. Some railfans report that they have been questioned by police. The ___Railroad has called in its railfan identification cards, and has indicated that it can no longer grant railfans “automatic access” to its property. Some photogs have found photography from some station platforms is being stopped. Still other roads continue to grant permission to photographers in cases where they are accompanied by a railroad official, or are working as authorized press photographers.

Some of the restrictions seem silly, in view of the fact that an alien intelligence agent could find out all he would to know from other sources. On the other hand, a saboteur might hide a bomb inside an innocent-looking “camera”. Each railroad must decide for itself to what degree it can afford to take such chances."

I kept some info hidden, here’s why.

The article, Trains Magazine, Railroad News, December 1950.

The war, Korea.

The railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio.

The agency, Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Thought I’d pass this on, paranoia, it seems, has been around a long time.

A minor clarification (not necessary for those “of a certain age”): “alien” in this context does not mean an inter-stellar traveler [ [alien] ], but instead a citizen of another country, a foreign national - i.e., a spy or saboteur, etc.

Can you provide a page reference for this quote ?

Thanks for providing this for our information and edification. "The more things change, the more they stay the same . . . " [sigh]

  • Paul North.

Hi Paul,

It was on page 8, under the title “Railfans feel the war”.

Dan

The whole thing about restrictions against photographers seems silly to me given that anyone has free access to railroad property, as evidenced by the proliferation of grafitti.

K4s…The viel of Homeland Security has played a major role in the attitude toward photographers in this post 9-11 era. Yes, there has been increased security caused by every war and there has been safety issues posed by railroad lawyers and security forces and by the idiocy and arrogance of fan photographers. However, the post 9-11 Homeland Security era has been execptionally anti fan and anti photographer for several reasons. The main reason has been the John Wayne on a white horse rah rah attitude by some rail security and employees, by non rail law enforcement agencies, and by private citizens who are scared out of their wits by those mentioned above. Even after railroads have defined and defended photography there are those who refuse to accept even written permissions and have gone so far as to take into custody railroad officials. This time it is different…fear has spread lies and more fears which have meant more photographers are unconsitutionally challenged and detained. Vigilanteism with ignorance and arrogance of power has hurt the rights of photographers and we as railfan photographers feel it the most.

.

I understand security, but it is irrational, idiotic, paranoia to ban photography of something that is in plain sight. What are you afraid the camera will see that cannot be seen by the photographer who is holding it? Should we make it illegal to LOOK at it?

Some very good and well thought out points mentioned in addition to threads on this topic in the past. If you take the article I quoted, an article that is 61 years old, change a few names…it would look as though it were written today.

Next they may want to try to ban cell phones in stations on the pretext that the person talking may be also snapping pictures with the cell cam. The same would go for i-pads.

OH HO! Now yer talkin’! Ban them cell phones and ego-pads! I will go along with that! I am more terrorized by idiots that really can’t walk and talk (or text) at the same time. They don’t just dump themselves into mall fountains! They bump into me, knocking me into other things, step on my feet, which hurts because they sometimes get high enough on the shoe to miss the steel toe protection, and I am fed up to here with only hearing 1/2 of the lovers spats, child discipline problems, and super, can’t miss, stock tips.