It’s Okay to Photograph Trains in Maryland

So says the head of the Maryland Transit Administration.

As background … in February, two amateur photographers were confronted by MTA police officers and informed it was against Maryland law and MTA policy to photograph trains and facilities.

Administrator Ralign T. Wells disavowed police efforts to restrict photography on or around MTA property and said he would take action to head off a threatened lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland before it can be filed.

Wells said MTA officers were not properly representing agency policy when they ordered two amateur photographers to stop taking pictures and video of light rail trains earlier this year. Wells said he would apologize to the photographers and make sure that officers respect the First Amendment rights of photographers.

“We don’t have a policy restricting photography,” Wells said in an interview Wednesday. “The actions of some of these officers are not reflective of the agency stance.”

(Thanks to the NPPA Twitter feed for the lede.)