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How MBTA buses are scrapped a matter of national security
By adamg on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 8:29am
So this guy who's really fascinated with buses thought it would be cool to follow an old T bus to the end of the line - to the plant in Everett where they're shredded and put on a barge on the Mystic River. He missed the No Trespassing sign:
... "Yeah Sarge,he is a busnut...I looked at the photos on his camera,nothing but buses"
He said also "Don't be surprised if the Department of Home land Security checks you out" ...
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Comments
The scrap company in Everett
The scrap company in Everett is located right next to a power plant and and an LNG tanker unloading facility. Lots of fuel storage tanks located near by as well. My guess would be Homeland Security at first thought he was taking photos of that stuff and not the junk buses he was really chasing.
LNG
I prefer my neighborhood not flattened by the blast.
I'm glad someone is keeping an eye on things around there. And, given that this guy went past a No Trespassing sign, I think they were justified in approaching him.
Good framing in that video, by the way.
My videos
I certainly was not intending on tresspassing.The sign was very very small about the size of a 8x11.
I too am glad they are keeping an eye on things there!
It is incredibly hard to get pics of this going on(the scrapping of the RTS buses) without them (The T and just about everyone affiliated with them) giving me a hard time.
Oh, of course
I didn't mean to imply that you had gone past the sign intentionally. I believed immediately when you said something about not seeing the sign.
ok so does anyone know
How I would contact someone to get access to take pics of MBTA buses? I can't tell you how much I have been harrassed.I have certainly stayed off thier property.But I would like to photograph the remaining RTS buses they have stored in Everett.
I am not interested in trying to expose the T for anything,just want bus pics.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlee119/
Hey I bet no one has ever met a busnut before
you must be new to the Bus
you must be new to the Bus world since no one knows who you are !
What did you expect when you were take photos on private property .
not new
I have been around a while.I don't drive for the T but I have many friend who do.Most of the shots on the property were within legal parameters and taken by a T employee.Like I said,I don't want to get into trouble.
I would try the MBTA first
http://mbta.com/customer_support/write_to_top/#Bus
There's always a chance they'll go above&beyond to help you. The MBTA needs more friends and fans.
If that doesn't work, I suppose you could try writing Grabauskas.
If you are harassed while doing things that are within your rights to do (this does not include trespassing, of course), you can try contacting Mass. ACLU and/or local law enforcement.
Also, I think Bierman, transportation reporter at the Globe, might be sympathetic to a busnut.
Brad, If you have stayed off
Brad,
If you have stayed off of MBTA property, then how did you take interior photos of stored buses waiting to be junked?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlee119/3474200668/
photos
Like I said,I have a few friends who work in Everett.The only time I was on thier property is the Charlestown garage.Since then,I have not stepped foot on thier property. Most of the shots were taken from the other side of the fence.
so,no response from the T
Yeah.It's not easy to get in touch with anyone there at the T.I did email and get a response from a "Route supervisor" to call a number and I left a message.Of course no callback.I left details abotu what i do and the fact I would love to get sccess to the garage SUPERVISED to get photos of RTS buses that are getting scrapped.
Meanwhile it is like I am doing somethig terrible taking a picture of a bus.I have also had a few words with drivers.If I am on a public street,should be no porblem you think.They probably think I am trying to get them in trouble or something when all I want is to get as many of the RTS bus pics as I can.Not trying to expose them for anything,I just love buses.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlee119/
Blame T management
Some paranoia on drivers' parts is understandable. There are a lot of people who see themselves in an adversarial relationship with the T (not many people actually *like* the T) and by extension with T employees, and some of them are busybodies who would just love to have their "gotcha" cameraphone video on TV news.
But I think T management is making a mistake by not accommodating fans. The recent wedding was a PR win. I don't know why they're not encouraging more than that. A single fresh Communications major doing this kind of outreach could do them a lot of good.
The one other thing to consider is whether the retirement of the old buses is somehow a sensitive issue they'd prefer to keep quiet. If that's the case, I don't know why, but I think they're better off framing it themselves than having someone else do it without their influence.
should I wear bus clothing?
Maybe a big lime green shirt that reads "SAVE THE RTS"
Don't know,I am saddened they are acting they way they do
The T recently retired its last 1976 FLYER Trolleybus.There was about 200 people who showed up to send her off to retirement.These buses were much loved by the community they served.They even stopped the bus in traffic so we could get off and get posed photos.http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlee119/3494939557...
The T retired them because they are not ADA compliant.Around 35 of these buses were retired to a storageyard in Billerica in drivable condition.There they were HEAVILY vandilized to the point they HAD to be scrapped.Just stupid.Tons of life left in those buses and the few remaining RTS's have plenty of life left in them/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlee119/3016476538...
My point here is there are plenty of people like me who just love buses,and the T makes it very hard to do unless it is on a fan trip or something.Now the RTS buses are not as loved as the Flyers,but soon they too will all be gone with little representation..
Maybe I should get a hat saying "its not you its the bus"..my friends can't belive the harrasment I have recieved in the last few days even when I am on public property.
T unresponsive
Still no response from the MBTA
update
Here is a response,we'll see what happens
Hi John.
Please if you could tell me what I should do about access to photograph MBTA buses?
.Lately,it has been harder to photograph your buses.I have been told at various garages,while on a public street that I ned a permit and that I should "move along".
My ultimate goal here is to document your buses,not to make the MBTA look bad in any way.
About a week ago,I was in the McDonalds in Everett,taking some photos of the scrapping of RTS bus #0098 from McDonalds property and from the entrance to the repair facility where most of the RTS's(and a few Flyer Trolleybuses) are being stored before scrapping .I shot some video of the bus coming out of the lot and going past me which was shot from the car wash lot.
I wanted to see where they were taking this bus to be scrapped so I jumped in the car and followed.I did not realize that I went past a no trespassing sign.Well I was run by the Everett police and told "Homeland security might contact you!"
I did not go onto MBTA property that day,and about 98% of photos I have taken and posted were not on the MBTA property.A few scrapyard shots were taken by a good friend I had that no longer works for the MBTA.
Back on May 2nd,I was one of the 150 people who showed up and photographed the end of Flyer trolleybus service on #4037.I took extensive photos that day no problems.
Just want to stay out of trouble,yet enjoy a hobby.I am also a collector of fine scale bus models and have built a HO scale city that features buses as the prominent theme.I have a model school bus fleet of over 85 school buses.
So,I am begging you,please help or steer me in the right direction,I thank you for your time.
Here is the video of 0098 being towed that started most of the trouble.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlee119/3616557213/
Here are the rest of photos I have shot of MBTA buses
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlee119/
Bradlee
-----Original Message-----
From: Charlestown Bus, Superintendent
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wed, Jun 24, 2009 1:06 pm
Subject: RE: no one has responded
You can contact John White at [email protected] or 617-222-5608.
Carrie
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 10:49 PM
To: Charlestown Bus, Superintendent
Subject: no one has responded
Hi,
A while back I sent a email asking what to do about taking photos at the Charlestown garage.You supplied a number and I called but no one has called back.Time is running out for the RTS buses the T has and I really would like to get access,SUPERVISED.I would like to photograph as many RTS buses as possible before they are gone.Any chance you can help me further.
Bradlee
sigh
Nothing from this guy
Phone
If you're comfortable using the phone, that can work when letters and emails do not.
You can also go in person. Show up at a place and just ask if you can go inside to photograph.
Or limit your photography to things that don't legally require permission, and handle any harassment if it happens.