Train attack in Europe exposes vulnerability of US rail passengers

Washington

THE attempted attack by an armed man aboard a high-speed train in Europe has raised new concerns in the United States about the vulnerability of rail passengers and whether current security measures are adequate.

Unlike airports, which are guarded with multiple layers of security - including airport police and Transportation Security Administration personnel operating metal detectors and full-body scanners - most railroad stations have minimal scrutiny for those boarding trains.

Larger stations have armed Amtrak police officers, often with bomb-sniffing dogs. Passengers and baggage are randomly searched at some of the major rail hubs, such as Union Station in Washington and Pennsylvania Station in N…