Rail security stepped up in Washington
From Emily Rust
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Bags checked by long-distance Amtrak travelers leaving from Washington's Union Station are now being screened for explosives before departing, the Department of Homeland Security announced.
The new security measure is part of a pilot program administered by the Transportation Security Administration and is aimed at improving rail security, an area that hasn't received as much attention as air security since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.
The checked luggage will be X-rayed and possibly searched by hand. Inspectors are also using bomb-sniffing dogs and wands that can sense explosives.
This new measure is just one phase of a broader program to increase rail security. It will last until June 30.
"What we've been looking for in each of these cases is the efficacy, the impact on customer service, how it can be replicated, and what kind of performance data we get out of the equipment," said Mark Hatfield, director of communication for the TSA.
The final phase of the pilot program will involve setting up a mobile screening operation, according to Hatfield, who said details on that phase will be forthcoming.
