Rail Passengers Test Anti-Terrorist Device

Travelers at a rail station near Washington will have to walk through an explosives detection machine and have their bags screened in a security test designed to frustrate terrorists.

The “puffer” machine blows small puffs of air onto a passenger to detect residue from explosives. An official said the one-month test at the station in New Carrollton would determine if the gear worked and how much it bogged down travelers.