While this is a railroad forum, there are parallels with river transportation, even with preservation efforts. For instance, the Belle of Louisville, bult in 1914, continues to steam on the Ohio River. So does the 1920's - built Delta Queen and her newer sisters, the Mississippi Queen and American Queen, although the AQ is a hybrid of diesel and steam power. And, there are a few others such as the Natchez in New Orleans and the Julia Belle Swain that are 100% steam powered. On every one of these vessels the engine rooms have always been open to the public and watching those long stroke engines at work has been a highlight of each trip. Until now, that is.Thanks to Homeland Security and their "rules" as interperted by the US Coast Guard, the engine rooms of the Delta Queen and her two sisters are now off limits to passengers while the boats are under way. There is no report on the others mentioned above but all surely falls under USCG regualtions so they, too, may have to adopt the same policy.And the grip of Homeland Security goes further than that via the USCG on the river. Consider the following comment by Alan Bates,a retired marine architect, posted on the "Save the Delta Queen" forum about a private excursion aboard a tow boat he recently experienced."A few days ago I was on a barge excursion. The trip started at a remote farm and ended at an even more remote landing along the Ohio River. Everyone who boarded had to show a photographic identification and sign a waiver or all rights even unto the seventh generation.The barge had railings all around, none closer than three feet to the headlogs and gunwales. Each person was required to wear a life jacket the full time he or she was aboard. A speech was given to prospective riders about the horrific hazards of being on the river and the indelicacies of falling or walking overboard. The barge and towboat were accompanied by a U. S. Coast Guard patrol boat on one side and a Coast Guard Reserve patrol boat on the other. These were for rescue purposes and to drive away any other boats that approached within a couple of hundred yards, using red and blue lights and violent waving of arms plus bull horns. No doubt they had weaponry aboard for further enforcement.It worked. The excursion was not attacked by rogue elephants or terrorists. No one walked overboard or fell. All of the life jackets were returned dry and unsullied.How on earth have we Americans arrived at this pass? How much more will we endure of this foolishness before we rebel and tell the officials and their attorneys to get the devil out of our faces? "Has anyone connected with a tourist railroad experienced anything similar to the above? Are we undiscovered fodder for Homeland Security?

Sounds like a good example of a lot of people attempting to justify their existence, something not to uncommon in the fields we speak of. I still recall the story of the elderly woman in the wheel chair, who was taken out of the chair at a major airport so they could X-ray the chair. Your point is well-taken. What's happened to us?

That is a shame about the Delta Queen. A lot of corporate preferences are being attributed to government regulation. On the Belle of Louisville we had to discard our McDonald's coffee and sodas in paper cups, even though the posted regulations clearly referred only to "bottles and cans". I think the Belle is really concerned about hidden alcohol and maintaining concession sales. For the Delta Queen, is it really government rules or insurance liability? The fact that passengers on these boats might be asleep in cabins increases the risk.On the Belle of Louisville, it would be surprising to lose the engine room access. We rode two weeks ago and it was still there. Actually less restrictive than in the past. It used to be that you had to leave the engine room any time engine manuevers, such as the turn at the far end of the ride, were occurring, but not now. The Belle's engine room is part of the passenger entry/exit (including the only handicap access), so restrictions would be difficult.Interestingly, on the Belle we have been offered access to the boiler room ("furnace room") every visit for the last four years. I find that extremely dangerous (and thrilling), what with the risk of flameouts, burns, etc.

Here on the A&R one of our officials called the police when a railfan walked down the track to photograph a bulkhead flatcar of lumber. The railfan was treated as a terrorist and breifly detained until the police realized he was just a guy taking pictures of trains. When I learned of this I ask our official to explain to me how you make a bomb from lumber. I have no idea how we got here or how people justify living their lives in fear of everything as we are now ask to. I simply refuse to live in fear and believe that when you change your ways the enemy has won. Safety issues and the lack of personal responsibility are also completely out of control. I do not know when this sillyness will end but I think it must. Until such time as the trend reverses, if it ever does, I can't help thinking that the whole country has gone crazy.John Bohon

You ask what happened to us? We elected those who would use any excuse to further erode our civil liberties.