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BMWE Lodge 3014 |
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Pennsylvania Federation
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Division
of the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
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The
Investigators: Are SEPTA Trains Secure?
(The following report was posted on Philadelphia
television station NBC 10’s website on October 26.)
PHILADELPHIA -- A U.S. congressman is calling for
SEPTA to answer some tough questions about its
apparent lack of security
This comes after the NBC 10 Investigators showed him
an eye-opening trip that they took into area train
yards.
The intent of the NBC 10 investigation is not how to
show someone how to sabotage a train, it is indended
to shine a light on a situation some people call
outrageous. The NBC 10 Investigators went to work
when some SEPTA employees called them to tell them
that they are worried about security.
The SEPTA trains you might be boarding tomorrow are
sitting in an unsecured train parking lot tonight.
"We could have a picnic here, technically, and plant
anything we want under one of these (trains)," said
a SEPTA employee who did not want to be identified.
There are no cameras, no security guards and no
fence to stop anyone from getting into the
Warminster train yard. No one questioned the NBC 10
Investigators and the SEPTA whistleblower as they
climbed onto the train. If The Investigators could
get on board the train, anybody could -- even a
terrorist.
"Anybody could easily plant something on this train
all night and wait until it hits Center City," said
the undercover SEPTA source.
"No signs telling you to stay off the property," the
source said.
The SEPTA source took The Investigators to the
Doylestown station where, once again, there was no
one to see them or question what they were doing.
"You want to put a biochemical agent in that? Piece
of cake," the source said.
The British found out how easy it was when terrorist
bombs took a deadly toll on the London transit
system last summer. SEPTA responded with pamphlets
telling riders that security is tighter while you're
on board and that employees are trained.
"That's a bold-faced lie. We're not trained in any
kind of security for these trains as far as anything
like 9/11 or the bombings in London or Spain," the
SEPTA source said.
The Investigators and the SEPTA source went to
Roberts Yard in Philadelphia and found one security
camera, but nobody stopped them. The train doors
were open. After about 45 minutes, The Investigators
finally went into the office to alert security that
they were on the premises.
"You're a supervisor?" Cahn asks.
"Yeah, stand by," the supervisor said.
While she stood by, Cahn talked to a SEPTA mechanic.
"What's your worst fear?" Cahn asked.
"Someone could come in here, put a bomb on the
train, something like that," the mechanic said.
The supervisor makes calls to report the presence of
The Investigators, but nothing happens.
The Investigators showed Congressman Curt Weldon the
video of their trip to the train yards. Weldon is
the vice chairman of the Homeland Security
Committee.
"That's ridiculous. It's outrageous," Weldon said.
"That's just waiting for a disaster to occur."
The Investigators also showed the video to SEPTA.
"So, what are you suggesting?" asked Richard Malone,
SEPTA's spokesman. "I'm not being sarcastic. I have
never heard of any terrorists planning an attack on,
essentially, a train parking lot."
"That's a cop out. If you're a terrorist, you're
going to plant something separate from the
passengers, and you're going to leave a device,
especially if it's a remotely-activated device, like
they used in London," Weldon said.
"Why are train doors just wide open?" Cahn asked
Maloney.
"Because we have had no reports of it being a
vulnerable area," Maloney said.
Maloney said that SEPTA has spent $7.5 million
federal dollars on beefing up security where
passengers come and go. But SEPTA admitted it hasn't
spend any money on securing the rail yards.
As far as training is concerned, Maloney said the
company spends one day a year on emergency
procedures -- some in mock exercises -- that
prepares employees for all types of emergencies.
"If I had people in those positions telling me that
they had not had the training?" Cahn asks.
"Mistaken," Maloney said.
"I'm going to today ask for SEPTA's homeland
security plan," Weldon said.
Riders want answers, too.
"It's terrible. It's a disgrace," one rider said.
"I'm shocked. You can walk right in," another rider
said.
"This is America. We're supposed to have a free
society and people aren't supposed to just wander in
where they're not supposed to be on private
property. There's a basic honor system here,"
Maloney said.
"If you really want to show these passengers you
care about them, protect the yards because I don't
think they're very safe," NBC 10's source said.
Local rail systems in New York, Washington DC and
Los Angeles all told the NBC 10 Investigators that
they have taken measures to secure their rail yards.
Weldon has fired off a letter to SEPTA demanding to
know what the transit system in Philadelphia is
going to do to secure their rail yards.
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