Passenger Trains > Any photographers been hassled in Riverside County, Cal

I've received several reports that rent-a-cops prohibit railfan photography at the Riverside Metrolink station and the others owned and operated by the Riverside County Transportation Comission--the Corona stations, Pedley and La Sierra.

Anybody have any first-hand accounts?

Last year I was riding with my wife and while at Riverside and a railfan (who knew the crew) was standing on the platform taking pictures and a rather plump rent-a-cop was yelling at the fan to stop taking pictures or he would be arrested!
So the fan stopped, hopped on the train, and just as the doors were ready to close he poked his head out and snapped a few more pictures (and I think flipped him the bird!)
The fat guard became so enraged he wattled down the platform trying to stop the train! (to no avail)
Heard over the scanner that our train was to hold at Ontario for the Sheriff to search for the photographer, well he heard that over his scanner and he bailed off at Pedley and ran towards a city bus
We held at Ontario for about 20 minutes so they could search for him, after we left Ontario the Engineer and the conductor were laughing their asses off!

If the "enemies of the western world" read this forum, they must be having a good laugh. This silly arse activity makes one feel really secure.

Man those rent a cops sure are idiots in my book! I for one am sick and tired of this paranoia myself and glad that guy made the smart moves, plus I know the engineer and conductor knew he was innnocent anyway!

It's apparently something that's been ordered by the RCTC, owner of the Riverside County station facilities. Whoever ordered this would probably have a hernia if they saw the amount of photography happening on platforms at places like Fullerton.

Interestingly, the RCTC website has a "contact the RCTC" feature that doesn't work. I'm writing a letter to them to clarify their position on photography and will report my results to all...

david Wrote:
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> If the "enemies of the western world" read this
> forum, they must be having a good laugh. This
> silly arse activity makes one feel really secure.

If the "enemies of the western world" read this they will be slapping each other on the back and celebrating! They have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams by getting our own police to do their work for them! Why should they spend money on bombs when our own sheriffs have innocent citizens running and hiding?

Barry Draper

parts545 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Last year I was riding with my wife and while at
> Riverside and a railfan (who knew the crew) was
> standing on the platform taking pictures and a
> rather plump rent-a-cop was yelling at the fan to
> stop taking pictures or he would be arrested!
> So the fan stopped, hopped on the train, and just
> as the doors were ready to close he poked his head
> out and snapped a few more pictures (and I think
> flipped him the bird!)
> The fat guard became so enraged he wattled down
> the platform trying to stop the train! (to no
> avail)
> Heard over the scanner that our train was to hold
> at Ontario for the Sheriff to search for the
> photographer, well he heard that over his scanner
> and he bailed off at Pedley and ran towards a city
> bus
> We held at Ontario for about 20 minutes so they
> could search for him, after we left Ontario the
> Engineer and the conductor were laughing their
> asses off!


I just hope the train crew didn't get into trouble over all of this...
-Wes

DRGW Wrote:
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>
> I just hope the train crew didn't get into trouble
> over all of this...
> -Wes

How would the train crew possibly be in trouble?

barrydraper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> david Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If the "enemies of the western world" read this
> > forum, they must be having a good laugh. This
> > silly arse activity makes one feel really
> secure.
>
> If the "enemies of the western world" read this
> they will be slapping each other on the back and
> celebrating! They have succeeded beyond their
> wildest dreams by getting our own police to do
> their work for them! Why should they spend money
> on bombs when our own sheriffs have innocent
> citizens running and hiding?
>

Well, there was a point there where the "innocent citizens" could have avoided the need to run and hide... following instructions would have worked.

karlj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DRGW Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > I just hope the train crew didn't get into
> trouble
> > over all of this...
> > -Wes
>
> How would the train crew possibly be in trouble?

I was picturing this initially as a freight train since the fan was talking to "the crew". I gather now that this was a commuter train and he detrained when it made a station stop. I had envisioned the "crew" slowing the train so he could "bail off" (author's words) and hopefully not get anyone, including them, in trouble. Now that I infer that it is not a freight, it makes more sense...
-Wes

> If the "enemies of the western world" read this
> they will be slapping each other on the back and
> celebrating!

They only want you dead, or converted. They could care less what you do in the mean time. Submit!

TB

karlj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DRGW Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > I just hope the train crew didn't get into
> trouble
> > over all of this...
> > -Wes
>
> How would the train crew possibly be in trouble?

Running around without their asses?

I had a bad experience with the security guard at the West Corona Metrolink station in early 2002. I stopped by on a weekday morning around 10am hoping to catch some BNSF eastbounds from the platform. Just as I was stepping on to the platform (with camera clearly visible), the guard met me there and asked 'May I help you?'. I answered in a disarming voice, 'I'm just a railfan hoping to photograph some freight trains'. He immediately tensed up, and snapped back 'You can't take pictures from here, and if you don't have any business with Metrolink - you need to get the hell out of here!'. Stunned, I answered 'Is that right?'. Getting even madder, he kicked it up a notch and snarled 'That's right!'. So I just went back to the car, and departed.

I decided to complain about this guy via E-mail to Metrolink. They seemed gracious and apologized for my treatment, but said that since the individual stations in Riverside County are owned by the cities - they provide the security guards. They mentioned that they would forward my comments to the security company for the station. I usually don't wish any working man ill, but I really wanted to see this guy on the bread lines after that. But looking back at what's happened to other railfans in the years since then (trespass citations, visits from the FBI), a simple 'kicked off the property' doesn't seem so bad.

In more recent visits to West Corona, I haven't had any trouble so long as I don't bring the camera with me. They don't seem to have a problem with train watching, or loitering in general there.

Rich

DRGW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I just hope the train crew didn't get into trouble
> over all of this...
> -Wes

When the train got to Ontario, the conductor talked to the Sheriff and asked if he had a description of the passenger taking the pictures and the sheriff said some white guy in a gray jacket with a camera
The Conductor said Oh! I think he got off at Pedley, and the Sheriff said ok and released the train without doing a walk through
Total delay about 2 minutes

parts545 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DRGW Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > I just hope the train crew didn't get into
> trouble
> > over all of this...
> > -Wes
>
> When the train got to Ontario, the conductor
> talked to the Sheriff and asked if he had a
> description of the passenger taking the pictures
> and the sheriff said some white guy in a gray
> jacket with a camera
> The Conductor said Oh! I think he got off at
> Pedley, and the Sheriff said ok and released the
> train without doing a walk through
> Total delay about 2 minutes

Now earlier you said...

"Heard over the scanner that our train was to hold at Ontario for the Sheriff to search for the photographer, well he heard that over his scanner and he bailed off at Pedley and ran towards a city bus
We held at Ontario for about 20 minutes so they could search for him, after we left Ontario the Engineer and the conductor were laughing their asses off!"

So which is it?

PasadenaSub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had a bad experience with the security guard at
> the West Corona Metrolink station in early 2002.
> I stopped by on a weekday morning around 10am
> hoping to catch some BNSF eastbounds from the
> platform. Just as I was stepping on to the
> platform (with camera clearly visible), the guard
> met me there and asked 'May I help you?'. I
> answered in a disarming voice, 'I'm just a railfan
> hoping to photograph some freight trains'. He
> immediately tensed up, and snapped back 'You can't
> take pictures from here, and if you don't have any
> business with Metrolink - you need to get the hell
> out of here!'. Stunned, I answered 'Is that
> right?'. Getting even matter, he kicked it up a
> notch and snarled 'That's right!'. So I just went
> back to the car, and departed.
>
> I decided to complain about this guy via E-mail to
> Metrolink. They seemed gracious and apologized
> for my treatment, but said that since the
> individual stations in Riverside County are owned
> by the cities - they provide the security guards.
> They mentioned that they would forward my comments
> to the security company for the station. I
> usually don't wish any working man ill, but I
> really wanted to see this guy on the bread lines
> after that. But looking back at what's happened
> to other railfans in the years since then
> (trespass citations, visits from the FBI), a
> simple 'kicked off the property' doesn't seem so
> bad.
>
> In more recent visits to West Corona, I haven't
> had any trouble so long as I don't bring the
> camera with me. They don't seem to have a problem
> with train watching, or loitering in general
> there.
>
> Rich


That's just plain stupidity though, I mean come on NJT had all hell break loose last year because of this, and they had to eleminate their photography rule because of it. You guys down there need to stand your ground, if not it's gonna get that much worse since Riverside County seems paranoid about the threat of terrorism!

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> That's just plain stupidity though, I mean come on
> NJT had all hell break loose last year because of
> this, and they had to eleminate their photography
> rule because of it. You guys down there need to
> stand your ground

Will you be organizing the bail bond fund for those who decide to "stand their ground"?

Bail bonds for what? They can't arrest you for breaking a non-existant law. Breaking policy is not against the law, but false arrest is. Giving into these moroms and backing down is the worst thing anyone can do. Just because the district has a policy against something doesn't make it illegal. No real cop is going to risk false arrest suits, and those rent-a-cop moronic boobs have probably never even heard the term, at least in English.

Personally, I am waiting for the day when some idiot like that fattens my bank account, and so help me, one better not pull a weapon on me.

1702 Wrote:

> Will you be organizing the bail bond fund for
> those who decide to "stand their ground"?


1702, you know exactly what I mean, why do you think the Civil Rights Movement happen back in the 50s, or even the situation with NJT last year? It doesn't take a pure genus to figure it out!

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1702 Wrote:
>
> > Will you be organizing the bail bond fund for
> > those who decide to "stand their ground"?
>
>
> 1702, you know exactly what I mean, why do you
> think the Civil Rights Movement happen back in the
> 50s, or even the situation with NJT last year? It
> doesn't take a pure genus to figure it out!

Look at: http://www.kantor.com/useful/Legal-Rights-of-Photographers.pdf or http://www.kantor.com/2005/12/09/photographers-rights/

Sounds pretty well laid out what photographers can and can't do. Of course, your mileage may vary.

I experienced being threatened with police interrogation by a security guard when I took art pictures inside a mall in San Antonio. After being voluntarily detained with the security guard verify my hotel room at a Riverwalk hotel, I was free to leave the building. I was unwilling to challenge in this situation since I had business meetings the next day.