Amtrak outlines security features

“Amtrak’s new 15-member security teams, heavily armed and “exceedingly polite,” will show up in force this week at Northeast rail stations, trying to secure a system that is inherently vulnerable to terrorist attack.

The new security measures, including random searches of ticket holders before they board, are designed to balance safety and convenience, Amtrak officials said yesterday. Unlike air travelers, train passengers will not be required to walk through metal detectors or take off their shoes, and trains will not be delayed by the searches.” (The Philadelphia Inquirer)