Washington DC Union Station Photo Flap
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MrEd
Conductor
In a related story, NYPD Continues to Enforce NonExistant Photo Ban on NY Subway
As the story pointed out, there is an overall, general, restriction going on
throughout Washington DC, over people taking pictures of important
landmarks and buildings.
I wonder if they had excluded Union Station, if there would be an equal
number of people upset over that. I mean, isn't Union Station worth
an equal level of protection/security?
throughout Washington DC, over people taking pictures of important
landmarks and buildings.
I wonder if they had excluded Union Station, if there would be an equal
number of people upset over that. I mean, isn't Union Station worth
an equal level of protection/security?
The problem isn't that there is a ban; the problem is that the ban is not spelled out anywhere, that there is no way to apply for permission and that even Amtrak clearly states that there is no ban. Only the rouge security guards seem to think that there is a ban.
At other government buildings as the reporter pointed out, if there are rules about photos, one can apply for permission and a permit to take photos. No such opportunity is being provided for WUS. Not withstanding the fact that as a general rule one can't ban photography, if you are going to do it, then the rules must be clearly spelled out and uniform and a way to get permission must be provided.
Note the security guard refused to answer why he was telling the reporter to turn off the camera, in front of Cliff Black no less (Amtrak's spokesperson who had just gotten done saying that there was no ban on camera). That is the mark of a rouge policy! Enforce your policy, but don't explain it so that people can properly challenge it.
This story isn’t about protection/security, it’s about having a policy that is both uniformly enforced and published so that people can see for a fact that it’s not just some security guard who has taken his/her job too seriously.
Everydaymatters
Engineer
I absolutely agree that there should be a published policy. However, I can understand the paranoia about pictures in DC's Union Station.
I was there once when the building was evacuated. I was pretty scared with the sirens going and announcements to evacuated. I wonder how often this happens.
Betty
I was there once when the building was evacuated. I was pretty scared with the sirens going and announcements to evacuated. I wonder how often this happens.
Betty
printman2000
Engineer
I never had any problems at WUS in 2006 except by am Amtrak employee who said no pictures on the platform as I was trying to take one.
caravanman
Engineer
Hi,
I took several pics in the Washington station recently, no problem for me. I am sure anyone could just get a picture off the web, or wander in and make notes about the building if they had bad intentions..
The main concern I had in America was an off duty security guard at O'Hare, who was giggling and talking to himslf and seemed far from secure himself!
(Perhaps I should have taken his picture...?)
Ed. B)
I took several pics in the Washington station recently, no problem for me. I am sure anyone could just get a picture off the web, or wander in and make notes about the building if they had bad intentions..
The main concern I had in America was an off duty security guard at O'Hare, who was giggling and talking to himslf and seemed far from secure himself!
(Perhaps I should have taken his picture...?)
Ed. B)
I think it is decidedly pathetic what this has come down to. Even with Amtrak's chief spokesman standing right there saying photography is allowed, some "security" guard says no pictures. What a joke.
A related story: http://www.andycarvin.com/archives/2008/05...tos_at_uni.html
When I went up to DC for National Train Day, I took pictures aplenty all over Union Station (main hall included) and was never asked to turn my camera off. Heck, 2 Amtrak police officers and a canine even walked by and said "Hello." I think though, if I was hassled by some security guard, I would fight it, even if the Police were called. Somebody has to stand up for this eventually.
A related story: http://www.andycarvin.com/archives/2008/05...tos_at_uni.html
When I went up to DC for National Train Day, I took pictures aplenty all over Union Station (main hall included) and was never asked to turn my camera off. Heck, 2 Amtrak police officers and a canine even walked by and said "Hello." I think though, if I was hassled by some security guard, I would fight it, even if the Police were called. Somebody has to stand up for this eventually.
p&sr
OBS Chief
We need to make sure that the Joke is on HIM. As Americans, we are a FREE PEOPLE. This is guaranteed by our Constitution which WE wrote, and which WE hold our elected government to obey. If the Police think different, tell them where to get off. If they persist, then SUE them.
Well I strongly suspect that the security guard had no idea who Cliff Black was and probably had never seen him IRL before that point. That's most likely part of the reason that he quickly walked away without answering further questions or remaining there to ensure that they did turn off the cameras.
T
Tony
Guest
Does Amtrak own Union Station? If not, then what Cliff Black says probably doesn't have much weight to change the security guard's standing orders.
Also, the security guard, any security guard, is not a spokesman. It would be very inappropriate for the security guard to make any official comments to the press. The only thing that he didn't do, which possibly he should have, was to refer all questions to someone that can comment officially on policy.
p&sr
OBS Chief
Washington's Union Station is "owned" by a Federally-Chartered Non-Profit Corporation, with AMTRAK sitting prominently on the Board of Directors.
Found on the Web:
"Union Station is owned by the non-profit Union Station Redevelopment Corporation..."
and elsewhere:
"Congress in turn established the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation... a President and support staff who report to a Board of Directors. The Board comprises representatives from Amtrak, the Mayor’s Office, the Federal City Council and the Federal Railroad Administration."
Rail Freak
Engineer
MrEd
Conductor
Union Station is where the headquarters of amtrak is ?
The station is just not wned by Amtrak because of it is a mixed use facility.
I think it was rebuilt in the 80s by Elizabeth Dole.
Either way, it is ok to take a picture of it.
The station is just not wned by Amtrak because of it is a mixed use facility.
I think it was rebuilt in the 80s by Elizabeth Dole.
Either way, it is ok to take a picture of it.
p&sr
OBS Chief
Yes, their main headquarters are there in Washington DC. They have a secondary headquarters in Philadelphia (at 30th Street Station) to oversee operations on the North-East Corridor.
caravanman
Engineer
Just a thought..
If you take your pictures at 3AM, no one is around..
San Antonio May 2008:
If you take your pictures at 3AM, no one is around..
San Antonio May 2008:
Is their headquarters actually in Union Station? I was under the impression that it wasn't.
Same nonsense we have in the UK. Network Rail who run most of the stations have a policy in place to allow photography by railfans and others, the British Transport Police are ok with it and sometime make appeals for photos taken around certain incidents, yet the jumped up minimum wage gimps who pretend to be "security" hassle people and make the rules up as they go along. Tossers.
I was in Washington Union Station in April and wandered about for an hour or so just snapping away, same as lots of other people. Nobody said a word.
We can't all be criminals can we?
You should argue against this garbage forever. It proves nothing, stops nothing and is just the thin end of the wedge.
If you are on a railway station and behaving in an illegal or anti social manner then you should be removed or arrested. Taking a photograph is not a criminal or anti social act.
I was in Washington Union Station in April and wandered about for an hour or so just snapping away, same as lots of other people. Nobody said a word.
We can't all be criminals can we?
You should argue against this garbage forever. It proves nothing, stops nothing and is just the thin end of the wedge.
If you are on a railway station and behaving in an illegal or anti social manner then you should be removed or arrested. Taking a photograph is not a criminal or anti social act.
T
Tony
Guest
The official headquarters for The National Railroad Passenger Corporation is:
60 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002
United States
Is that the address for Union Station?
p&sr
OBS Chief
Yes.
Rafi
Conductor
Rafi, perhaps next time you have a chat with somebody there (Amtrak HQ), you might mention this as something that is causing an awful lot of discontent, heat and smoke, but not much light?
Rafi
Conductor
It's something I've been meaning to mention to the PR office. Given Cliff's first-hand experience in that video, my guess is that it's on their radar now, but I'll make sure to ask about it when I talk to them next.
Rafi
D.P. Roberts
Conductor
They have a rouge policy? What's next, a policy against lipstick and eyeliner?? What is this world coming to??!!
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