Transit Security Seen and Unseen

Lt. Col. John E. Gavrilis, deputy police chief for the Maryland Transit Administration, described the MARC system as "very safe" because of increases in camera surveillance and in patrols by uniformed and plainclothes officers and bomb-sniffing dogs.

At times yesterday morning, four officers were visible in the Baltimore station, sometimes drinking coffee, sometimes scanning the crowd. At Union Station, not much added security could be seen.

MARC riders who board at other stations said they noticed additional security immediately after the London attacks, including a marked police car and a police dog patrolling at the Halethorpe station. But they did not see that yesterday.

On the VRE, commuters said they have noticed police officers patrolling stations with dogs, checking unattended bags and talking to passengers.

Riders said they have also heard more announcements instructing people to watch for any suspicious-looking bags and to report them to authorities.

Scattered on trains yesterday were copies of a VRE newsletter featuring an article on the rail line's security measures since the London attacks: increased marine patrols of bridges, more sweeps of stations for "suspicious materials" and packages, and the use of Virginia State Police "sniffer" dogs.

The newsletter also offered suggestions: "Observe new people, not 'regulars,' who are not relaxed or [are] uncomfortable. Be alert for suspicious vehicles idling proximate to station entrances and stairways."

Vishnu Palaniswamy, 30, of Bristow, an Amtrak software developer who was taking the VRE train to his job near the Union Station stop, said he has noticed rail officials being more vigilant when they step off the train at a station.

Before the London attacks, he said, "they would just chat. And now they're talking and looking more. Maybe because I'm watching them."

Brian Gwinner, 33, who was riding yesterday to his job at the Transportation Security Administration in Arlington County, said he saw two or three police officers when he boarded at Broad Run and twice that number when he passed through stations in Fairfax County.

"It does give more of a safe feeling," he said.

Yet, in the end, nothing can guarantee safety, said M. Joan Johnson, who was riding Metro yesterday. "I would like my longevity, but if it's my day, then that's it," said Johnson, 65, a substitute teacher who lives in Alexandria.

"You can't live your life pent up about what's going to happen in the next moment."

Staff writers Karlyn Barker, Nia-Malika Henderson, Joshua Partlow, Philip Rucker, Ian Shapira, Fern Shen, Mary Beth Sheridan and Sandhya Somashekhar contributed to this report.