Not just the Soviet Union. In 1966, I was sent by my company to South
Africa for a two month assignment. At that time, the South African Rwys
had 1500 steam locomotives in service as well as electrics and diesel.
I met some local railfans and we went to a station in Pretoria to take
photos. We had no problem. A few days later, I decided that I would go
back alone to take some more photos. After a while, I was approached by
some RR employees who told me that I needed a permit to photograph
trains at the station (RR property). I was told to go to a yard office
to get a permit. When I got there, I was met by RR (and maybe local)
police who proceeded to interrogate me for a considerable length of
time. Being a foreigner who might have sympathies against apartheid
made the situation worse. I found out that their real concern was about
sabotagers from adjacent foreign counties which had black governments.
(There were reports that some sabotage against the RR had occurred.)
Eventually, they let me go, but, as I recall, they did take a roll of
film.
I thought the incident was over and continued my assignment and avoid
RR stations when railfanning. About six weeks later, I was in my hotel
room preparing to return to the States when there was a knock on the
door. Two men were at the door who aid they were with the national
police (similar to our FBI, I guess) and they wanted to talk to me.
They again wanted to know about my activities at the station. They also
said that they wanted to confiscate all of my film, probably about 10
rolls. In what was in retrospect a very dumb move, I told them that I
had already sent all of my film to Kodak in the States (I really had
not and it was packed in my luggage!) For whatever reason, they did not
search my room or my luggage! I told them that I was leaving the
country later that day and had no plans to return. They seemed
satisfied and left.
The irony of it all was that my assignment involved the RR and I could
have obtained a photo pass from the main office management with no
problem! I just didn't take the time. Of course, I was young and
impetuous back then. I did take some fine photos home.
The point of the story is that we don't realize how free and safe we
are here in the USA. Long ago, I saw police and military in a many
foreign airports with exposed machine guns. Even in the '50s and '60s,
on some US RR properties, it was more difficult to gain access and
occasionally, fans were stopped by RR employees and police. The
situation has just gotten more serious since 9/11 and maybe for
understandable reasons. The derailment and chlorine leak on the NS last
week will probably focus new attention of RR security. I am sure RR
security was tight in WWII, but some RR photos were taken. In the mEtra
case, I wonder what would have happened if the railfans had a valid
ticket in their possession? And for that matter, what are local and RR
police going to be able to do about all the photo cell phones now in
service?
Bill Barber
On Monday, January 10, 2005, at 04:05 AM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2005 11:27:58 -0800
> From: jonathanharris@earthlink.net
> Subject: Re: Detained and threatened by METRA police
>
> Man! This is something right out of the old Soviet Union, where
> photographing railroads was a serious infraction for tourists. No
> railfan
> ever got sent to the gulags over it (so far as I know), but a scary if
> brief detention, intimidation, and confiscation of film were standard
> responses from the authorities.
>
> Yes, Dan. God Bless America, and Support Our Troops (I do). I only
> hope our
> Bill of Rights will be worth more than a piece of toilet paper by the
> time
> they get home.
>
> Right at the moment, I think I'd prefer to say,
>
> God bless the defenders of our Constitution.
> Support Paul Burgess.
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