JamesT4 Posted August 11, 2011 Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 I had a issue on the Blue Island Metra Electric Station this afternoon, I was waiting to get photos of the IAIS BICB train leaving Blue Island, & some times I would take it from the Electric Platform, so as I was taking photos of a Metra train on the RI coming by, the conductor got off his cell phone, and told me that I was not allowed to take photos on the platform, because of 9/11, I had to go on the street, I told him that I been taking photos from here for years, and it was legal, and he bring up because of 9/11, I wanted to tell him that I was legal, but my mind told me to not get into it with this dum@#$ conductor, and just leave & go home. Now I check the Metra Website, and I found that he was wrong to tell me not to take photos on platforms, I searched, and found this paragraph on photography on metra. Metra Photo Policy Photography & Videography: For safety and security reasons, photography or videography on Metra property is only permitted in areas that are clearly open to public use. Areas that are accessible only to Metra employees, including but not limited to, the right-of way and rail yards, are highly restricted areas and are not able to be accessed for photography or videography by the general public. Metra will prosecute trespassers to the fullest extent of the law. I never had a problem taking photos on CTA & Metra until tonight. I had employees approach me on CTA, but just to see what I was doing, & don't say nothing. I am getting tired of hearing because of either Homeland Security, or 9/11(I know it was a tragic day in US History, I still cant believe it happened), & I work at the airport, I get my picture taken by passengers from the terminal every day, & I don't say nothing, it's getting old with photography, & 9/11, or homeland security, and getting me angry about it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 11, 2011 Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 I suppose that trainman, if he is still around, and being a Metra conductor, could better speak to the policy. This may be OT, but Metra gives the impression that it is still operating in the days before George Eastman invented the popular camera. I also see that you were photographing something else, but given that no transit agency around has received any new model of anything for the last couple of years (last thing was probably the DE60LFs starting about late 2008), there isn't anything here transit-wise worth photographing, and certainly not a Metra train (except possibly to document the continued use of 614). I think I'll wait until the HP hybrids show up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted August 12, 2011 Report Share Posted August 12, 2011 As I understand it, if you are on Metra property, and that would include a platform, you would not be allowed to photograph from that point. If you want to get real nitty gritty, the platform at Blue Island on the Electric side is actually part of the Blue Island yard. NOW...given Metra's exemplary efforts in the issues of security and safety, I wouldn't waste my time (and in the past have not) ragging on someone about taking pics from a platform. I guess you just must have missed me yesterday, since I was there twice. Just beware that there are many places where local law enforcement may, and I emphasize may, may shoo you out for the alleged Homeland Security issue. Personally, I think the whole issue is way overblown, given the lack of watchdog in the outer yards (see photo taken by an engineer of graffitied cars from the Richton Yard somewhere in the forum). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanbytes Posted August 16, 2011 Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 I think when we take transit related pictures we need to wear sandwich boards with the photography policies on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2200SeriesFan Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 I think when we take transit related pictures we need to wear sandwich boards with the photography policies on them. LMAO! I guess I've been lucky over the years that I've never once been yelled at for taking Metra, South Shore, or freight train pics. And that includes when I've taken yard pics, and/or walked into station platforms on weekends when no trains stop there(think like the BNSF Halsted, UP-West Kedzie, Milw. District West Mars, etc. city stops of Metra). Now at CTA 'L stations(unfortunately OTOH), the nighttime/weekend private security guards(Securitas, IIRC?) can be jerks about photography and way too often don't understand CTA's ACTUAL(and on their website) photography policy, if they see you doing it. I got lucky a few months back that despite not having the CTA photo policy on me(and only didn't have it on me since a printed copy I had of it and regularly keep in my pocket got faded, so I threw it out and printed a new one since), I was able to shoot a ticket agent booth that I feared would probably not be reused after Argyle was reconstructed. And sadly, my fear ended up being right, when the station was renovated as part of the current Red Line north station improvement project. It was one of the rare times I've been successful, in talking my way into reassuring a private guard that my photography was legal to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmcreif Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 I had an incident like this on the Metra Electric last Saturday afternoon, around 3:55 PM, inbound on a Metra Electric Highliner train en route from 55th-57th Streets to Van Buren Street station. I think the conductor was mistaken, and although I think he was just doing his job when asking me to discontinue filming out the side window, I would have probably let the incident slide and forget about it if he had said "please" or spoken in an apologetic voice, instead of a voice loud enough that the entire car could hear. I was filming out the window and not doing anything illegal, and he also brought up 9/11 and Homeland Security nonsense in what he said. Now reading Metra's photo policy at the top of this thread, I know that the conductor was mistaken. Anyways, if anyone wants to post this incident information to Metra: Incident: Bad customer service Line: Metra Electric Train and time: Inbound to Millenium Station around 3:55 PM Location: Between 51st-53rd Streets-Hyde Park and 47th Street-Kenwood Description of conductor: black, about medium build, 5'9" in height Oh, and I had filmed an outbound train on the platform at 55th Street right before the incident without anyone yelling at me. Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xDjpyCAdlA And I had filmed out the window on a southbound train going there without anyone yelling at me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 ... Anyways, if anyone wants to post this incident information to Metra: ... If the incident happened to you, why should we post it to Metra? Their website, like most, has a Contact Us page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmcreif Posted June 21, 2013 Report Share Posted June 21, 2013 If the incident happened to you, why should we post it to Metra? Their website, like most, has a Contact Us page. Oooh, right. Slipped my mind. Update: Already reported. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.