Patrols beefed up along Amtrak route

NEW YORK – Police along Amtrak’s New York-Washington corridor joined forces Monday to begin patrolling train platforms and watching for suspicious activities along the tracks.

There is no specific threat to the route, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said. But in assessing risks after bombers targeted the mass transit system in London, officials were concerned a route with “two high-profile cities” might become a target, he said.

The coordinated effort will include bomb-sniffing dogs, police helicopters and officers from cities including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.