Skip Waters of Dallas, TX returns again as your host for the Lets Talk Trains show. The topic is "Hey Railfan, Are you a Terrorist?" Skip will discuss the current state of affairs surrounding railfans and photography. What do the railroads and the public think of railfans shooting trains? Joining Skip will be Richard Whitenight who in 2002 was reported in the Washington Post as being grilled by the terrorism task force. Richard will tell us what happened. Then we will hear a recent video recording of a shortline railroad accusing some local railfans as being terrorists. Followed by a current Special Agent letting us know how the railroad feels about railfans and photography in today's environment. Callers are welcome to join. Don't miss it. Tune in and find out if you are a terrorist!

Please join us at 10AM (Pacific time) on Saturday at <http://www.railradio.com/ltt/> for the show and at <http://www.railradio.com/lttchat/> for the live chat room (which starts 15 to 30 minutes before show time). I direct you to <http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html> to find your time througout cyberspace. The call-in number for the show is 646.716.7106.

The LTT calendar for hosting shows has lots of openings. Please help make Let's Talk Trains informative and diverse in content. An email to <ltt@railradio.com> is how to start. You will receive well-illustrated and helpful guides, advice and connections to other LTT Team members. This show is of, by and for us, fans of trains. You can help by sharing your knowledge, points of view and experience with the rest of us. Again, start by emailing to <ltt@railradio.com>.

Yeah, it may be time to make some "I'm a tourist, not a terrorist" tee shirts. I wonder how many I could sell via LTT if I pay for a commercial or three...

On a related note, maybe I should wear the "I chase trains because the voices in my head tell me too" tee shirt I bought at Cass a few years ago. I wonder if the police have a sense of humor there days.

After working for CSX and watching them pile up trains on the diamonds at Deshler and Fostoria, I have decided that there is nothing a terrorist can't do that the railroads don't do to themselves on a regular basis.

I'm not sure where this paranoia about photography came about, perhaps because its impossible to quantify the potential danger posed by previously innocuous activities, perhaps this is just the chance for legal, risk management and constabularies to show conspicuous vigilance but..

Adolph Hitler didn't need photographers, to evaluate the American rail system and decide to target Horseshoe Curve.

Of course, the photography police can't do squat about Google Earth, can they?

I'm not going to be able to listen to the show or call in tomorrow, but just let me add a brief thought on the subject. In December of '08, Christmas week, I spent the better part of an hour on the platform in Zurich, Switzerland videotaping the tail-end of the morning commuter rush. We were never challenged or questioned by anyone who worked there. We were in the shadow of the huge control tower for the terminal most of the time. Dozens of trains moved in and out while we were there, many on the tracks next to where we were.

This was at the busiest station in the capital city of a Western European country. A station that handles about 2,700 trains PER DAY. Try doing this in the shadow of K-tower at Washington Union Station today. When I worked there I could occasionally get away with it, because a lot of people knew me. I know it could not happen now. There is no good reason things have to be the way they have become.

In October 1995, someone chose to derail an Amtrak train near Phoenix Arizona… There were letters suggesting a terrorist plot, but since it has been suggested that profit was the motive.

At the annual V&T Symposium, held a couple of weeks later… we listened to news reports saying the FBI were looking for someone with track tools… An informal survey suggested that there were at least 20 of us who had recently be seen driving about with track jacks, crow foot bars and such, all owned/possessed for legitimate railroad preservation activities, which could be miss-understood.

I too have been challenged while taking photos…

Our “interest” can be (legitimately) misunderstood. We need to be careful…

Actually, there are a lot of places on Google Earth, or Bing, or whatever it is called this week that are blurred out. I was looking around Albany/Selkirk, and every industrial and fuel tank was blurred out.

No we do not need to be careful. We are Americans, going about our business as FREE SOVEREIGN INDIVIDUALS! I will NOT EVER change my habits, associations, hobbies or interests out of fear or worry that it would arouse suspicion, and I would reccommend that the rest of you grow a spine and stand up for your rights.....

Or lose them!

Thats true, some of the best camera angles are from the ties. =]

Stationary Steam:

Bravo!

Well said.

Its a two sided coin... and both sides are important... both sides have rights... and both sides have the right to express those rights...

As responsible citizens we also need to understand the that the state has rights to ask for identification and or why we are where we are...

As responsible citizens we can question the authorities right to question and restrict activities...

Its a balancing act...

That said this is straying from the boards focus towards a political discussion which is specifically outside the boards guidelines... Your always friendly moderator...