Taking Pictures of Trains Might Land You on a Watch List?

[p&sr]

In South Station I was taking photos of an "Art object" made from railroad parts on display in the lobby and was told by a cop to not take photos of anything else, and was watched until I left the station.

I would have spent the rest of the time taking HIS picture.

the second time couple months later I was sitting at the Central Ave light rail stop on the mattapon-Ashmont line, I was in my car parked on Central ave legally, not on MBTA property when I was confronted by 3 MBTA police and subject to a half hour ID check, which also caused me to miss the photo of the restored PCC car running in fan trip service which I had been there to take photos of.

This stinks. Why would MBTA police even have any jurisdiction? Sounds like a good case for a Lawsuit... harassment without cause and impairment of the free enjoyment of Liberty.

 

[AlanB]

the second time couple months later I was sitting at the Central Ave light rail stop on the mattapon-Ashmont line, I was in my car parked on Central ave legally, not on MBTA property when I was confronted by 3 MBTA police and subject to a half hour ID check, which also caused me to miss the photo of the restored PCC car running in fan trip service which I had been there to take photos of.

This stinks. Why would MBTA police even have any jurisdiction? Sounds like a good case for a Lawsuit... harassment without cause and impairment of the free enjoyment of Liberty.

The MBTA is the only agency so far that has actually managed to get a law on the books and keep it there prohibiting photography on their property and of their equipment and stations.

 

[p&sr]

The MBTA is the only agency so far that has actually managed to get a law on the books and keep it there prohibiting photography on their property and of their equipment and stations.

Such a law is CLEARLY Unconstitutional, and needs to be struck down in Court.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Its not unconstitutional at all. Any corporation can guard its property. People are not given a right to photograph whatever they want. You can't do it in some art museums either.

 

[access bob]

Its not unconstitutional at all. Any corporation can guard its property. People are not given a right to photograph whatever they want. You can't do it in some art museums either.

that is usually a "Contract" provision of entry, read fine print on back of ticket or entry signs.

Bob

 

[MattW]

MBTA isn't a corporation, it's an extension of the government. From what I'm reading here, they're harassing people not even on THEIR (read: public) property. Why don't they just call china and get them to shootdown Google's satellites since they're taking high resolution pics that show the details of the rail network, or perhaps find everyone who has a camera and make them walk the plank right into an overhead line in the event they decide to exercise their rights and take pics of MBTA.