2025 MOW Spending Report: Passenger-rail programs
Gardner steps down as Amtrak CEO
Guest comment: Oliver Wyman’s David Hunt
Women of Influence in Rail eBook
Newsletter Sign Up
Stay updated on news, articles and information for the rail industry
Stay updated on news, articles and information for the rail industry
railPrime
RAIL EMPLOYMENT & NOTICES
Rail News Home
Rail Industry Trends
Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
5/5/2004
Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
Maryland Commuter Rail, Amtrak to screen New Carrollton station passengers for explosives under pilot program
advertisement
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) launched a 30-day pilot program at Amtrak and Maryland Rail Commuter’s (MARC) New Carrollton, Md., station to determine the feasibility of screening passengers and bags.
Designed to evaluate technologies that screen passengers and carry-on items for explosives, Transit and Rail Inspection Pilot (TRIP) is a joint effort between DHS, TSA, Amtrak, MARC and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
TSA officials will screen passengers between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays. WMATA canine teams will conduct random explosives screening.
Passengers are being asked to place bags and other carry-on items on a conveyor belt connected to L-3 Communications’ Security and Detection Systems division’s multi-view tomography system, which is designed to scan up to 1,800 bags per hour.
Passengers then walk through General Electric Co. division GE Infrastructure’s EntryScan3 explosive detector, at which they pause for a few seconds until they feel several quick puffs of air and hear a computerized voice telling them to proceed.
Because the pilot focuses on explosives, passengers will be able to carry some items through the screening checkpoint that are prohibited on aircraft, such as scissors and pocket knives. Passengers will not need to get empty cell phones, keys, change and other metal objects before being screened.
TRIP will determine customer wait times, the effectiveness of screening equipment in a non-climate controlled environment, and the cost and impact on Amtrak’s and MARC’s operations.
Designed to evaluate technologies that screen passengers and carry-on items for explosives, Transit and Rail Inspection Pilot (TRIP) is a joint effort between DHS, TSA, Amtrak, MARC and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
TSA officials will screen passengers between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays. WMATA canine teams will conduct random explosives screening.
Passengers are being asked to place bags and other carry-on items on a conveyor belt connected to L-3 Communications’ Security and Detection Systems division’s multi-view tomography system, which is designed to scan up to 1,800 bags per hour.
Passengers then walk through General Electric Co. division GE Infrastructure’s EntryScan3 explosive detector, at which they pause for a few seconds until they feel several quick puffs of air and hear a computerized voice telling them to proceed.
Because the pilot focuses on explosives, passengers will be able to carry some items through the screening checkpoint that are prohibited on aircraft, such as scissors and pocket knives. Passengers will not need to get empty cell phones, keys, change and other metal objects before being screened.
TRIP will determine customer wait times, the effectiveness of screening equipment in a non-climate controlled environment, and the cost and impact on Amtrak’s and MARC’s operations.
