Amtrak to screen passengers' bags

It always struck me as odd that airlines put so many resources into screening people's bags, yet you can walk into any train in America with a bag "full of whatever" and be OK. In fact, unlike with the airlines' "fly with your bag" policy, you can even walk into a train, leave your bag there and walk out. We won't get into conspiracy theories here, but the security involved in train travel is probably not where it should be.

Amtrak announced that will start randomly screening passengers' carry-on bags this week in a new security push that includes officers with automatic weapons and bomb-sniffing dogs patrolling platforms and trains, AP reports.

According to the article, Amtrak is not reacting to any specific threat. They are just taking "the correct steps." Rail security has been top of mind since the 2004 bombings of commuter trains in Madrid that killed 191 people and the bombings in London, where 52 people were killed in 2005, and in Mumbai, where 200 people were killed in 2006 on commuter trains. Russia also has had several bombings on subway, commuter and long-distance trains.

Filed under: North America, United States