Amtrak Photography Policy to Change?

You will see in the next week some posts from me showing places I have photographed where Amtrak, in its misguided approach to security, forbids photography. Amtrak President Joseph Boardman, in a March 6 meeting with the public in Chicago, tried to mollify critics by saying the photography policy is really an attempt to get photographers to notify railroad personnel before photographing in "restricted areas" like station platforms. This photographer has made such notification to Amtrak personnel in Washington DC and received in return written instructions forbidding me to photograph on station platforms. This in direct contravention of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. John O'Connor, the railroad's chief of police, defended criticism of Amtrak's policy toward photography on station platforms as a necessary step to prevent terror attacks. How ridiculous! Does Chief O'Connor realize all the things he's trying to protect are available online by the thousands? The only positive thing I can see coming from the Chicago meeting is a statement from Amtrak that they are going to look into BNSF's Citizens for Rail Security, an organization of which I am a member. See Trains Magazine trains.com for details of the Chicago meeting including a pleasant surprise for attendees at the meetings conclusion.