“Gun-rights proponents have noted that Amtrak always allowed passengers’ guns on its trains, deciding to ban them only after the 2001 terror attacks. Amtrak and its defenders in Congress have argued that the government-owned passenger line needs more time before it can ‘allow’ firearms onto trains. ‘We don’t think we’ll be able to do that March 31 deadline, and, of course, finding the funding to make all of that happen,’ said Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm. Failing to meet the deadline and missing out on the $1.5 billion in appropriated funds — its entire funding request for 2010 — would bring a ‘cessation of train service nationwide,’ Amtrak Chairman Thomas Carper wrote to the appropriators last month. Mr. Kulm pointed out Amtrak trains and stations lack security systems seen at airports, baggage cars that are separate from passenger areas and a secure baggage loading area. Under its current policy, only law enforcement officers can bring guns onto its trains, he said. Read it again. Because American train stations lack the insane strip-search lines, X-ray machines, and ‘turn your head while I grope you’ protocols that have been installed at our airports, it doesn’t much matter who is or isn’t ‘allowed’ to carry a self-defense handgun onto a train, according to official Amtrak ‘policy.’” (11/08/09)