You know, MBTA and other police agencys find it a gas to give railbuffs and other people interested in trains a hard time when out takeing pictures for there hobby on public land---in the interest of security my ass.........yet there own dam people dont stop a train when they think there is a bomb on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :x :x :x
Suspicious package brings bomb squad to Rockport
By Ben Hellman
Staff writer
The MBTA found a suspicious package on the commuter rail in Beverly on Monday but allowed the train — and its complement of passengers — to continue on to Rockport. Though the package turned out to be harmless, local police are wondering what transit officials could have been thinking, especially in light of recent events overseas.
Just before 5 Monday afternoon, the MBTA contacted Rockport police to inform them the package was on its way, Rockport police Chief Tom McCarthy said. McCarthy added that the officer answering the call was incredulous the train wasn't being stopped, and McCarthy has called MBTA police Chief Joseph Carter for an explanation.
"I'm at a loss to explain it," McCarthy said. "If you have a package that's that questionable that you have to contact police and evacuate the area ... it's just beyond me why they didn't stop the train."
The lapse appears to contrast sharply with the MBTA's announced stepping up of security in the wake of recent terror attacks on London's mass transit system. At least one state agency, though, viewed Monday's incident with urgency.
Once the train rolled into Rockport, state police called in a bomb squad and evacuated the Rockport train station, a nearby business and a Little League game. However, passengers had remained on the rush-hour train as it made all regular stops in Gloucester and Rockport.
After X-raying the gift-wrapped package, police found it to be a children's water slide purchased from the Discovery Channel Store.
The MBTA is investigating the incident, spokesman Joe Pesaturo said.
"The director of MBTA operations (Anna Barry) wants a report into why protocol was not followed," Pesaturo said.
The train conductor was informed of the package as the train left the Manchester station, the stop before West Gloucester, Pesaturo said.
However, McCarthy said the MBTA told him the suspicious package was found while the train was in Beverly.
"Even if it was in Manchester — who cares if you think it's that kind of package?" McCarthy said.
Pesaturo said the train workers recognized the package as belonging to a regular passenger, and that may be why they reacted so casually to it.
"We have to do interviews with the train crew to find out if they acted reasonable," Pesaturo said.
All Massachusetts transit systems have been on a heightened state of alert since last week's train bombings in London.
McCarthy said the MBTA continued running trains into Rockport while the bomb squad was investigating the package. McCarthy said around 7 p.m. another train pulled into the station.
Yesterday, train passenger Beryl Crown said the train crew did not inform passengers there was a suspicious package on the train.
"I didn't know a thing about it," Crown said.
Crown said she did not learn until after she saw police cars in the Rockport station parking lot that there had been a bomb scare.
Rockport fire, police and ambulance departments helped state police evacuate a 300-foot area around the train station. Police closed the nearby ice cream shop, Dairy Train, and told the coaches of a Little League game at Evan's Field to take the children behind the Tadco building.
"It was kind of scary," said Rockport resident Emily Moss, 16, who was managing Dairy Train by herself when a firefighter told her she would have to close down. Moss said two co-workers arrived shortly afterward and helped her close down for the night.
Little League coach Bob Bland said the game had just started and the teams waited behind Tadco for about 45 minutes before they resumed their game.
Correspondent Michael Grosse contributed to this report
Suspicious package brings bomb squad to Rockport
By Ben Hellman
Staff writer
The MBTA found a suspicious package on the commuter rail in Beverly on Monday but allowed the train — and its complement of passengers — to continue on to Rockport. Though the package turned out to be harmless, local police are wondering what transit officials could have been thinking, especially in light of recent events overseas.
Just before 5 Monday afternoon, the MBTA contacted Rockport police to inform them the package was on its way, Rockport police Chief Tom McCarthy said. McCarthy added that the officer answering the call was incredulous the train wasn't being stopped, and McCarthy has called MBTA police Chief Joseph Carter for an explanation.
"I'm at a loss to explain it," McCarthy said. "If you have a package that's that questionable that you have to contact police and evacuate the area ... it's just beyond me why they didn't stop the train."
The lapse appears to contrast sharply with the MBTA's announced stepping up of security in the wake of recent terror attacks on London's mass transit system. At least one state agency, though, viewed Monday's incident with urgency.
Once the train rolled into Rockport, state police called in a bomb squad and evacuated the Rockport train station, a nearby business and a Little League game. However, passengers had remained on the rush-hour train as it made all regular stops in Gloucester and Rockport.
After X-raying the gift-wrapped package, police found it to be a children's water slide purchased from the Discovery Channel Store.
The MBTA is investigating the incident, spokesman Joe Pesaturo said.
"The director of MBTA operations (Anna Barry) wants a report into why protocol was not followed," Pesaturo said.
The train conductor was informed of the package as the train left the Manchester station, the stop before West Gloucester, Pesaturo said.
However, McCarthy said the MBTA told him the suspicious package was found while the train was in Beverly.
"Even if it was in Manchester — who cares if you think it's that kind of package?" McCarthy said.
Pesaturo said the train workers recognized the package as belonging to a regular passenger, and that may be why they reacted so casually to it.
"We have to do interviews with the train crew to find out if they acted reasonable," Pesaturo said.
All Massachusetts transit systems have been on a heightened state of alert since last week's train bombings in London.
McCarthy said the MBTA continued running trains into Rockport while the bomb squad was investigating the package. McCarthy said around 7 p.m. another train pulled into the station.
Yesterday, train passenger Beryl Crown said the train crew did not inform passengers there was a suspicious package on the train.
"I didn't know a thing about it," Crown said.
Crown said she did not learn until after she saw police cars in the Rockport station parking lot that there had been a bomb scare.
Rockport fire, police and ambulance departments helped state police evacuate a 300-foot area around the train station. Police closed the nearby ice cream shop, Dairy Train, and told the coaches of a Little League game at Evan's Field to take the children behind the Tadco building.
"It was kind of scary," said Rockport resident Emily Moss, 16, who was managing Dairy Train by herself when a firefighter told her she would have to close down. Moss said two co-workers arrived shortly afterward and helped her close down for the night.
Little League coach Bob Bland said the game had just started and the teams waited behind Tadco for about 45 minutes before they resumed their game.
Correspondent Michael Grosse contributed to this report
