NYC Amtrak Police

SKYNET156 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-24-2009, 07:32 PM

I am wondering if Amtrak Police operate on 161.295mhz in nyc?
Also, i was down on 52nd st today and i saw a van that came by marked "Prisoner Transport" and it was Amtrak Police, i didn't even know they had that many prisoners. are they on teh same frequency?

FLRAILMAN · #2 (**permalink**) 07-24-2009, 11:32 PM

As of three years ago I would hear them on 161.295 MHz in the Queens Sunnyside Amtrak facility however frequencies have been changing for a number of rail systems in the NY,NJ,CT tristate area lately so a NYC Amtrak enthusiest may be able to give you any frequency updates, if any. As for an Amtrak prisoner transport van that's a new one on me, was it on the west side of 52nd. street? I ask this because Amtrak Penn. station to Rensselaer refurbished turbotrains use the west side overbuild to connect with M.T.A.s northern division Hudson line at the Spuyten Duyval drawbridge over the Harlem River & maybe Amtrak PD performed a tunnel sweep due to the fact that the overbuild is infested with homeless people, drug addicts & assorted undesireables. Again a NYC Amtrak enthusiest may be able to shed more light on that, it's just an educated guess on my part being a former Noo Yawka. Too bad you didn't get a picture of it.
FLRAILMAN

SKYNET156 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-24-2009, 11:56 PM

i did see it around W 54 and bway, i was heading down bway to 42 to get a bagel...lol...but i saw it and i assumed it was nypd, and i watched it turn and it had the amtrak logo on the doors,
the van looked beat up and older, but i assumed that because the only nice cars you see in the city don't have ny plates (tourist)
But i wish i had my camera with me, i would have snapped a pic, I saw alot of amtrak officers in penn station (about 15) being briefed by 4 brass with white shirts,
but i didn't want to get anywhere close to that fiasco, last time i tried to strike up a conversation with an Amtrak lady cop and her partner, i was told to scram in not so many words, but i have some good conversations with MTA police and NY/NJ port authority police, and even the NYPD, but the amtrak cops just didn't seem to want to have any convo,
I think that those us goverment license plates get to their heads....
I know that CSX has a swat team, does amtrak do the same?

CqDx · #4 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 12:33 AM

They are still on 161.295. They still do patrols at Sunnyside Yard and Penn Station.

I live 5 miles East of Sunnyside Yard with some decent elevation and I can barely hear Amtrak Police, they run a very low power repeater around their facilities so you may have trouble hearing them unless you are closeby.

FLRAILMAN · #5 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 01:14 AM

Amtrak police officers in New York Penn. Station & Washington Union Station are the busiest in the northeast corridor & on most shifts dont get a minutes rest so when they catch their breaths they probably just want to stay to themselves to destress, trust me I know what I am talking about, I've conversed with Amtrak police officers at the New Haven Ct. station & since they are not even half as busy as their urban counterparts they are very friendly & informative. Also just keep in mind that sometimes you can run across good & bad attitudes anywhere you go. As for their plates going to their heads, I'd dismiss that as there is a pecking order that exist in the metro New York area law enforcement community if you know what I mean. Just ask any police officer that you may know in your local area & he will explain it to you, so much for that. SWAT team? never heard of Amtrak having one, they could, who knows, anyway google "Amtrak Police Department" as there are some very interesting & informative official & unofficial websites dedicated to them.
Good luck
FLRAILMAN

SKYNET156 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 10:41 AM

I understand their jobs are hard and i am sure with what they have to deal with sucks...but...what was said to me wasn't professional at all...and when i was talking to them, i was eating pizza and had been for about 30 mins with friends, and just saw them standing around, but...like i said, the job prob sucks dealing with transit because of so many people going to so many places,
I have read about the CSX swat team, but i will see if Amtrak has one as well

CqDx · #7 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 11:05 AM

You would imagine every police agency in the United States has a SWAT team, well Amtrak Police has one too, here is a picture of them.

Holiday Season at New York City on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

United States Special Operation, Mobile Team, NY on Flickr - Photo Sharing!