(The Asbury Park Press posted the following editorial on its website on August 16.)
ASBURY PARK, N.J. — Rail enthusiasts like to use photography to capture the ambling of freight trains, the speed of a passenger train or the smoothness of light rail. But a proposed policy, in the overused name of homeland security, would penalize those hobbyists who enjoy photographing trains and tracks rather than thwart terror-related activities.
The policy, which NJ Transit’s Board of Directors will vote on this fall, would require hobbyists who like to take photographs of trains to apply and be photographed for a permit. And they must call NJ Transit police 24 hours before taking those pictures. Some train enthusiasts believe this goes too far. So do we.
The policy should be stopped in its tracks. Its initial intent — to provide a database of people interested in transit — has been skewed. Its victims would be those who enjoy the slice of Americana found in photos of rails and trains.
NJ Transit argues that the process is necessary for safety, that they’re entitled to know who is on its property. Sorry.
Dennis Connell, vice president of RailPace magazine, Piscataway, points out that a terrorist isn’t going to be as obvious as a railroad hobbyist carrying a camera bag full of equipment. “Profiling photographers, historians, artists and ordinary citizens for photography, based on a hunch that their photography is somehow terrorism-related, is offensive and illegal,” Connell said. We agree.
Railroading enthusiasts have complained that NJ Transit police have confronted people taking photos from streets and other public places. That’s ridiculous.
Terrorists seeking information about trains wouldn’t be discouraged from taking pictures. They could simply use smaller, hard-to-detect surveillance equipment. The people who would be punished by such a policy are amateur photographers who simply enjoy the artistry offered by rail lines.