The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to use a suburban Maryland train stop to test the feasibility of security checks for rail passengers.
The testing in New Carrollton, Md., is expected to begin by the end of May and last 60 to 90 days, TSA spokesman Darren Kayser told The Associated Press.
Kayser says the TSA is looking at a range of technologies and hasn't decided how many kinds of equipment to test or in what combination. An important question is how quickly machines can check people and luggage.
The site was chosen because it presents challenges likely to be faced in screening railway passengers for weapons or explosives.
The key problem in screening railway passengers is doing it fast enough so the trains can still run on time. An Amtrak spokesperson said the railroad is pleased the TSA is turning its attention to ground-based security. The agency spends the vast majority of its budget on aviation security.
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