Im on vacation from the UK in a few weeks time visiting Washington, Boston and new York, I have a copy of the TRAINS guide to hot spots and thought I would visit Jamaica station on Long island - is it generally ok to photograph from the station platforms - provided one is in a position of safety away from the platform and not in the way of staff and passengers.
Also - is there anywhere safe around New York to photograph marshalling yards to enable me to photograph some freight movements.
I sent you a private message. But note, with Homeland Security picture taking around NYC area can be difficult, especially around frieght terminals and yards. Additionally, you’d need a car and good directions or sense of what you want and where to get in position to get pics. No pictures at Penn Station (Amtrak rules) but you should be able to at Grand Central, Hoboken,and Jamaica. Please contact me about what you want and I can possibly help.
One thought, since you visiting the Washington area, is that if you have the time (and don’t mind hiring a car for the day) is taking a trip out along the CSX (ex B&O) main line to Point of Rocks - where the routes from Baltimore and Washington join - and maybe Harpers Ferry a few miles further on.
The scenery is very nice, and Harpers Ferry is a historic tourist destination - which might be of interest to non-trainwatching companions [:)]
I visited the area about 2 years ago, and was quite impressed with the combination of busy main line (CSX freight, MARC commuter and Amtrak trains) and scenery - and the deep-throated rumble of multiple C40s, ES44s and AC6000s is something to savour - at least to loco-starved British railfans !
If you can’t get that far, I’m sure there are places much closer to DC where there is a reasonable amount of freight activity.