US Railroads Passenger Trains on Guard Against Terrorist Threats(VOA)
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/US-Railroads-Passenger-Trains-on-Guard-Against-Terrorist-Threats-121651519.html
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Levy is one of the dogs that make up Amtrak's 48 K-9 units. They are on the frontline of protecting some of the 78,000 people who ride the nation's intercity passenger railroad everyday.
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U.S. law enforcement officials say intelligence gathered from Osama bin Laden's house showed al-Qaida has considered attacking the U.S. rail system on the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Officials say al-Qaida's plan also called for tampering with train tracks, hoping to send a train off a bridge or into a valley. Richard Clarke is a counterterrorism analyst.
"You cannot guard hundreds of miles of track," said Clarke. "And if they [the terrorists] can get to one location that is not well guarded and put explosives on it, do something to cause the train to derail that is a lot easier than going after an aircraft."
Kevin Lynch, a former freight rail police chief, agrees. He says a terrorist attack on the U.S. rail network could disrupt commerce across the country.
"The targeting of the railroad infrastructure itself is a much smarter move on the part of the terrorists, because you get more bang for the buck," said Lynch.
Law enforcement officials are promising heightened vigilance in order to thwart any attempt by al-Qaida to attack the nation's railroads or commuter trains.
I'm surprised not only at the plans of Al-Qaida but also at how few passengers use intercity trains.
I know United States' passenger transport on rail declined to be specialized for freight transport. But, the figure "78000" is less than I expected. It is less than daily passengers using Gakuenmae station, which is the busiest station in Nara Prefecture.
