# Commuter Trains A Soft Target



## nshvlcat (Mar 29, 2016)

Interesting article on Fox News website.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/03/29/us-commuter-trains-soft-target-for-terrorists-say-experts.html?intcmp=hplnws


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## JoeBas (Mar 29, 2016)

So soft, that hundreds are blowed up every day.

Or not.

Stay frightened, my friends!


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## fairviewroad (Mar 29, 2016)

By the way, you know the saying that you should never read the comments?

Well, if you click on that link....

For the love of all things decent, DO NOT READ THE COMMENTS. 

Don't say I didn't warn you.


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## afigg (Mar 29, 2016)

Well, so is any place where people gather. Shopping malls, arenas and stadiums, grocery stores, coffee shops, and so on. But an article on transit system safety that extensively quotes Wendell Cox, a well known anti-transit advocate, loses credibility from the get-go. And, BTW, if we are going to discuss the article, it should be in the commuter and local transit forum, not in the main Amtrak forum.


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## crabby_appleton1950 (Mar 29, 2016)

Maybe I'll just stay home and never set foot outside my door *!*

But I might get hit by a meteor* ?*


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## crabby_appleton1950 (Mar 29, 2016)

It makes riding the rails that much more of an adventure.


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## A Voice (Mar 29, 2016)

fairviewroad said:


> By the way, you know the saying that you should never read the comments?
> 
> Well, if you click on that link....
> 
> ...


Oh, come on! Now I'm going to have to go read the comments...

I was ready to start dinner.


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## Devil's Advocate (Mar 29, 2016)

Reading the story, the reader feedback, and rereading the opening post, I can't shake the feeling that the OP may be checking for dog whistle echoes among the forum's membership.


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## Eric308 (Mar 29, 2016)

A Voice said:


> fairviewroad said:
> 
> 
> > By the way, you know the saying that you should never read the comments?
> ...


Well worth the read.....I learned that more people are killed taking selfies than in shark attacks. Time for dinner.


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## HenryK (Mar 29, 2016)

Of course I had to read the comments. Mondo bizarro.


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## neroden (Mar 29, 2016)

Anywhere with lots of people is a soft target. The security lines at airports are actually the softest and easiest target *ever* for a bombing, as several people have pointed out.


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## JoeBas (Mar 29, 2016)

neroden said:


> Anywhere with lots of people is a soft target. The security lines at airports are actually the softest and easiest target *ever* for a bombing, as several people have pointed out.


But... but... Being blown up after security is so much worse than being blown up before it!


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## fairviewroad (Mar 29, 2016)

Devil's Advocate said:


> Reading the story, the reader feedback, and rereading the opening post, I can't shake the feeling that the OP may be checking for dog whistle echoes among the forum's membership.


Eh, maybe, but I can't entirely fault someone for posting a relevant link (despite posting it in the wrong forum...not the end of the world).

To the OP: What do you think? Do you agree with the analysis by the people quoted in the article? Or do you agree with the sentiments of many of the people on this thread?


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## sitzplatz17 (Mar 30, 2016)

fairviewroad said:


> By the way, you know the saying that you should never read the comments?
> 
> Well, if you click on that link....
> 
> ...


Damn. I read the comments. Mistake on my part.

Anyway, I'm not really sure there's much that can be done. Even if we fenced in all the ROW and had airport style security that wouldn't prevent Mumbai station or Brussels airport types of attacks.

This is where targeted intelligence does more than security theater.


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## minstrel_miss (Mar 30, 2016)

You can't let the fear of a bad experience keep you from the opportunity for good experiences...


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## Bob Dylan (Mar 30, 2016)

minstrel_miss said:


> You can't let the fear of a bad experience keep you from the opportunity for good experiences...


True this!!!


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## Metra Electric Rider (Mar 31, 2016)

crabby_appleton1950 said:


> But I might get hit by a meteor* ?*


Just avoid watching comets if people have comet watching parties and you'll be fine.

I was just reading somewhere that Israel and somewhere else (can't remember where, perhaps multiple somewhere elses) have some sort of screening before actually entering the airport proper (not just the terminal) and they haven't had problems in those places. However, I'm sure one could work around it if determined. However, commuter rail and transit, different beasts entirely.


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## jis (Mar 31, 2016)

Metra Electric Rider said:


> crabby_appleton1950 said:
> 
> 
> > But I might get hit by a meteor* ?*
> ...


At Ben Gurion Airport every car entering the airport premises is inspected. I don't know what they do about the train and bus passengers though.

Then in the checkin area, every passenger is met by a plain clothes person with an Id badge, and engaged in a random conversation. For example, I have had a conversation about the etymology of my first name, and also one time about Indian culture. After that, if you have an electronic pre-clearance, they cross check the info and send you to a fast line, if not I am not sure what happens these days, since I have not passed through Ben Gurion without an electronic pre-clearance in a while.

If you have set foot in Palestine territories you simply cannot get an electronic pre-clearance and must go through the regular line. In order tog et a pre-clearance you basically have to document and account for every hour of your stay in Israel.

Can you imagine every passenger being engaged in a conversation by an agent before they check in at any major US airport?


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## fairviewroad (Mar 31, 2016)

jis said:


> Can you imagine every passenger being engaged in a conversation by an agent before they check in at any major US airport?


Maybe Uber drivers are actually federal agents in disguise??? h34r: <_<


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