TSA morning in Emeryville (8/31/18)

[texline]

Homeland Security showed up this morning in Emeryville. They seemed very interested in the two capital corridor trains. They photographed it and people coming off. They took off after the trains departed. I wonder what they are up to.

 

[TC_NYC]

Just a few train buffs

 

[texline]

These guys put a curse on the trains. I am on 11. The southbound corridor has a fatality strike just ahead of us. The northbound hit a pedestrian and is behind us.

Oh well. Parked now for a while

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I wonder what the people who ran away from airports will do when the TSA (or similar) eventually comes to passenger rail.

 

[tricia]

I wonder what the people who ran away from airports will do when the TSA (or similar) eventually comes to passenger rail.

Drive, or ride-share. At least until roadside security checkpoints become commonplace.

 

[zephyr17]

Got super bored telling people to take their shoes off at the airport and decided to railfan a bit.

 

[tricia]

Got super bored telling people to take their shoes off at the airport and decided to railfan a bit.

Or seeking new ways to justify increasing their funding.

 

[texline]

I am sitting on 11 still stuck. TSA is a topic of discussion. Anything is a topic of discussion.

So waiting for a coroner. Crews have been replaced. Ready to go. Conductor says freight trains ahead are waiting and they go first. Then the CC and then us.

Passengers are getting impatient. Now we have some chest pain patients but they don’t want medical help. We have the “It’s Anderson’s fault” discussion. Another group is trashing Amtrak. But some nice conversations as well in the SSL. Oh great, I think we have a medical call developing.

I must blame the TSA, clearly they jinxed Amtrak this morning.

 

[railiner]

Sounds like the TSA maybe got some anonymous tip that something was amiss....or that some 'person-of-interest' was aboard.....

 

[texline]

Ok 11 is moving! 4 hours. A lot of upset people.

Everyone gets a snack pack on Amtrak.

 

[seat38a]

Yeah I got one of those pathetic snack packs on the SWC when we were delayed 5+ hours. Now on the San Joaquin, for a 4 hour delay train, we got a much more substantial snack pack and also bottled water.

DSC01973

 

[Seaboard92]

I don't think anyone has to worry about TSA coming to passenger rail. This is the same agency that has a plan to remove agents from smaller airports that have smaller regional aircraft. Forcing people then to go thru security at larger airports. I believe it's a cost saving move.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Yeah I got one of those pathetic snack packs on the SWC when we were delayed 5+ hours. Now on the San Joaquin, for a 4 hour delay train, we got a much more substantial snack pack and also bottled water.

I recall getting a snack pack during the Tunnel 11 fiasco few months ago, when CS did not run between EUG and KFS and replaced with buses for a week or two.

 

[PVD]

Even though they don't normally do rail passenger screening, the agency has responsibility for rail safety (anti terrorism type, not FRA stuff) including freight and does periodically look at rail infrastructure, and respond to incidents. A friend of mine did a 10 year stint as an inspector for them after he retired as an MTA-PD detective.

 

[RSG]

Even though they don't normally do rail passenger screening, the agency has responsibility for rail safety (anti terrorism type, not FRA stuff) including freight and does periodically look at rail infrastructure, and respond to incidents. A friend of mine did a 10 year stint as an inspector for them after he retired as an MTA-PD detective.

They are also the go-to agency (along with their parent, Department of Homeland Security) when incidents are reported to Amtrak Police and/or Amtrak Police are not available. Contrary to the "See something, say something!" promotions and impression of universality, outside of the Northeast Corridor and major hubs, Amtrak Police doesn't have an effective presence elsewhere in the country, so they rely on other Federal agencies.

Several years ago, when boarding from Denver, I noticed a gaggle of DHS agents hanging around the California Zephyr when it arrived inbound towards CHI. A fellow passenger believed them to be hunting down drug trafficker/s. In recent months, I've noticed TSA agents hanging around the AMTK wing of Denver Union Station.

 

[PVD]

A big part of what they do is facilitate inter-agency coordination and information sharing. Lots of things happen in areas where multiple agencies overlap. Look at NYP- you have APD, MTA-PD, and NYPD patrolling various parts of the station complex and exterior

 

[railiner]

A big part of what they do is facilitate inter-agency coordination and information sharing. Lots of things happen in areas where multiple agencies overlap. Look at NYP- you have APD, MTA-PD, and NYPD patrolling various parts of the station complex and exterior

Even more...NJT police often ride their trains in and out of NYP, especially on holiday's like New Year's Eve or St. Patrick's Day....and the area around the Diagonal Platform, and the "Moynihan train hall" are patrolled by US Postal Police, (or at least they were)....

I imagine you might find some other agencies in the mix occasionally....US Marshall's, ATF, FBI, and who knows what else....

 

[chrsjrcj]

I would rather see local police and Amtrak police responsible for this type of thing.

 

[railiner]

Generally that is the way it is. But the other agencies do have their own mission's, that may require them to be there, as well....

 

[PVD]

Yes, in Dec of 2015 The Governor of NY signed off on CT and NJ officers having powers in NY under railroad policing provisions for a one year period. I don't know if the legislature made it permanent, since the Governor can only act on an emergency basis in a case like this. I'll have to look at the current NY-CPL.and possibly Railroad Law Sec 88

 

[cruisegary]

As to TSA - keep in mind their primary function is to keep a plane from becoming a very dangerous weapon.

Rather hard to run a train into a skyscraper. Not impossible to do damage, but there really are softer targets out there.

 

[Ryan]

We don’t need the TSA for that anymore, we have a plane load of passengers that have demonstrated that they’re not going to sit and let that happen again.

 

[cruisegary]

We don’t need the TSA for that anymore, we have a plane load of passengers that have demonstrated that they’re not going to sit and let that happen again.

That (above note)

and

the old policy was to allow them to do what ever they wanted. That has changed.

and

The cockpit is secure now

So, most of the TSA charade is of questionable value anyways.

 

[Shanghai]

I have seen on two occasions TSA agent and Dog at the Winter Haven train station.

They walked into the waiting room and then trainside as passengers (Sleeper) were

boarding. I don't know if they were present for the coach passengers.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Only time I've seen TSA Agents @ Rail Stations was @ Union Station in WAS ( often)and @ the Milwaukee Airport Station.