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New AMTRAK photography rules

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
John

Good read as I am a fan of trains and enjoy the opportunity to photograph them. The big "Gottacha !" in the policy seems to be the restriction on "in service" cars. This pretty much eliminates anything worth shooting..doesn t it.

I can shoot the station and the people traveling but not the train cars or anything inside the train car.

Do you read this the same way.

Roger
 

Lisa

New member
On the same topic, someone told me a few months ago about someone who was detained by Amtrak security for taking a photo of a train. The ironic thing was that the purpose of the photo was to submit to an Amtrak-sponsored photo contest in which Amtrak was inviting people to submit photos of Amtrak trains.

The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing...

Lisa

P.S. Roger, I interpret it the same way as you. It's difficult to imagine that's what they really meant, however, unless they're intentionally trying to keep it very general so they can do whatever they want in practice.
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
John

Good read as I am a fan of trains and enjoy the opportunity to photograph them. The big "Gottacha !" in the policy seems to be the restriction on "in service" cars. This pretty much eliminates anything worth shooting..doesn t it.

I can shoot the station and the people traveling but not the train cars or anything inside the train car.

Do you read this the same way.

Roger
I did get a good feeling about it. I also appears you could not even photograph a train just sitting on a siding.
 

stephengilbert

Active member
I disagree. I think the reference to "in service train cars" prohibits your entering an in service car without a ticket. It appears to me that you can photograph anything so long as you do so from a place you are entitled to be, i.e., not from a "restricted area." And you can't use a tripod.

Steve (I may not be much of a photographer, but I'm a pretty good lawyer.)
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
I was thinking about doing a cross country train ride this summer. The NY Times had a great travel article recently about taking AMTRAC across from NYC thru Chicago and then on to SF. What I liked was the variety of train stations you would stop at and the picture opportunities on the train itself. Its about 4 days in total and to survive I would need a sleeper compartment ...but looked like an adventure.
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
I disagree. I think the reference to "in service train cars" prohibits your entering an in service car without a ticket. It appears to me that you can photograph anything so long as you do so from a place you are entitled to be, i.e., not from a "restricted area." And you can't use a tripod.

Steve (I may not be much of a photographer, but I'm a pretty good lawyer.)
Steve is better than a John Grisham, Lawyer. I accept his interperation.
 
O

Oxide Blu

Guest
Steve is better than a John Grisham, Lawyer. I accept his interperation.

You don't have to worry about having to accept anyone's interpretation. This one is a no-brainer.

From that Amtrak link:

Section III

4. Ticketed passengers on board trains may take photos or video record on a train when it does not interfere with passengers or crew and in accordance with any directions given by Amtrak onboard train personnel.
 
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