Good Intentions, Bad Idea.
One of the major advantages of traveling by train is not having to empty your pockets, take off your shoes, and pass through a metal detector before boarding. But a couple of years ago, when one of Amtrak’s Florida trains stopped at Savannah, Georgia, the TSA was there and they ran everyone getting off the train through a security check. That’s right, everyone getting OFF the train. Obviously, that made no sense. Amtrak pitched a fit and, as I recall, eventually someone at TSA apologized.
But now there’s a report in a couple of industry publications saying Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Cory Booker from New Jersey, both Democrats, are calling on the TSA to implement security and safety improvements on all of the country’s passenger rail systems.
Senators, we sincerely appreciate your concern, but . . . Are you freakin’ crazy??
Amtrak has more than 500 stations and more than a few of those are in the middle of nowhere where, on a busy night, five or six passengers may board. And TSA is going to be there? At what cost? And for what purpose? To intercept a terrorist who decides to launch his diabolic plot by boarding the Empire Builder when it arrives in Staples, Minnesota, two hours late at 3:30 a.m.? Seriously?
And then there’s the whole business of commuter rail. Are they proposing that the millions of commuters pouring into major cities from the suburbs all have to take their shoes off, empty their pockets, and pass through metal detectors twice a day, five days a week?
Let me emphasize that both senators are supporters of passenger rail, and those of us who are advocates for more and better trains are deeply appreciative of their efforts. But there is a much better, not to mention more practical approach to improving security on America’s trains: additional financial support from the federal government for the purpose of expanding and improving the Amtrak Police.
Well, it’s political, Jim. Nothing more, nothing less. Of course that’s unfortunate and could very well lead to money and time being spent on committees to study ‘rail security’ not to mention the absurdity of recommending all rail passengers get screened through a security check.
But now Senators Blumenthal and Booker can say to the domestic US public, “See, we in the government really care about you and in the event that you’re responding to the rail incident in France by wondering about rail security (even though you’re probably not wondering), we want you to think of us first.”
“Just like we can say the TSA program in airports is doing something for you, you can now see how much more helpful we can be. We might even establish some committees you can point to show you we’re doing something.”
Note to Blumenthal, Booker, and others who are enamored with more and more government control: “Please, don’t just do something. Stand there.”
Surely we can agree that posturing for constituencies is a bi-partisan problem.
A total joke! When you realize how pathetic TSA screening is at the airports, their lackluster plan could never be transferred to the railways.
Just one example–if Chicago Union Station falls under the auspices of TSA, what stops them from just boarding at suburban Naperville or Glenview?
So far, we know of only 2 security programs that work, are competent, and fool proof–Ben Gurion Airport-Israel and Heathrow Airport-UK.