The new cars could be put into service as soon as this spring, said Michael Frezell, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Transportation, which purchased the cars and owns much of the track Amtrak uses between Detroit and Chicago. As I set my things down, the train rolled into motion. DOI: 10.1186 . There was also a metal utility sink, molded plastic wall, and an airplane-sized bathroom with a handheld shower nozzle over the toilet. However, Amtrak doesnt allow passengers to open windows any longer because of safety regulations and the central air conditioning. If a window is able to be opened, that always helps getting droplets to disperse very quickly, making it very unlikely that they will make it to another person in enough of a concentration to transmit infection, especially if masking is enforced, he said. I noticed signage stating that passengers and staff must wear masks at all times unless in the privacy of their own rooms had replaced Amtrak promotional posters on the walls. Media members should contact the Media Relations Office for their region (see the map and listings here). Each is said to boast a 4,400-horsepower diesel engine made by manufacturer Cummins in Indiana, which generates electricity that powers four electric motors to turn the drive wheels. This article was published more than2 years ago. In fact, Dr. Arnot said he thought the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused too much early in the coronavirus pandemic response on cleaning surfaces (including the 19% of Americans who put bleach on their food to kill coronavirus) and not enough on lowering transmission through good ventilation for indoor spaces. That made me not want to gather in any kind of a public space while on the train whatsoever, she said. 8 Supporting data . One of the things thats most concerning to health experts about trainsand planesisnt what happens on the vehicle (although thats extremely important), but how we get on and off them. Flynn asked for a predictable and long-term source of federal funding to continue modernizing the system. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Amtrak put out a video highlighting its air filtration system, citing numbers that it cycles air through the train cars on average 44 times an hour, replacing with fresh air about every 5 minutes. Amtrak, which serves more than 500 destinations in 46 states and three Canadian provinces, also offers a unique class of service that might especially appeal to travelers in the COVID-19 era: private rooms. On Jan. 25, a test train with no passengers pulled new coaches from Chicago to Pontiac, then back again to Chicago on Jan. 26. Passenger train operator Amtrak claims to cycle air through cabins 44 times an hour. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. Widespread mask use is key, says Lofgren. He had the virus and infected 4 passengers. Is this your first time on the Coast Starlight? Linda asked. The airport, for example, is usually an extremely busy place with people coming and going from all over, and passengers typically spend a long time cooped up together waiting for their plane. During the COVID-19 pandemic, local train travel dipped from 8,000 passengers a day to 200. Something to consider when weighing the pros and cons of booking a private room they all come with free meals, including select soft drinks and your first alcoholic drink, plus you have the option of eating off the dining car menu or going with something more casual in the caf car. Windows, as well as open ceiling vents, allow fresh air to enter the vehicle. "Ridership had dipped as low as 10% of normal volume compared to 2019 at the worst of the pandemic this winter, according to the Downeaster. Helmet ventilation has been in use for 2 decades in certain countries, especially Italy; and its use has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. YOU CAN FI, With mask mandates and capacity limits lifting in Maine on May 24, some experts are warning we need to take a closer look at something they feel has been overlooked in this pandemic: the quality of the air we are sharing inside. But is train travel during the coronavirus safe? While driving and flying are the most popular travel options, where does taking a train fit into pandemic travel? However, my room did not have any signs of being newly cleaned, prompting me to do a thorough inspection and ultimately wipe everything down. Doing so might limit the spread of virus-carrying droplets from coughing, sneezing, breathing or speaking but is unlikely to prevent viral transmission via smaller airborne particles. 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They announced several times, you must wear the mask over your nose and mouth or we can kick you off, she said. Its all about how many people you come in contact with during your journey. SO THERE IS A LOT OF EXCHANGE 09:34 AND THAT HAS REALLY BEEN SOMETHING I THINK THAT HAS GIVEN PEOPLE A SENSE OF COMFORT 09:39 ("METROBUSAIRPURIFICATION) METRO IS TESTING OUT HIGH- TECH PURIFICATION SYSTEMS ON BOARD THEIR NEW BUSES. One such innovation is the expansion of reserved seating on Acela trains. You dont want to get sick just because someone was unwilling to choose a different seat. Or, get someone sick if you're a carrier. It found no correlation between mass transit use and transmission of the virus. And be sure to wash your hands after boarding (Amtrak bathrooms are equipped with soap and running water). Sleepy small towns and vast stretches of farmland also whizzed by outside, blurring into one another and introducing stories and characters that existed only for seconds. For the most part, it seemed the protocols were being adhered to, but when staff seemed more lax about sanitizing and enforcing mask policy, passengers used that opportunity to be less safe themselves.. Preliminary results for fiscal year 2021 (Oct. 2020 Sept. 2021) include: Amtrak highlights in fiscal year 2021 include: Amtrak Contact I had 29 and a half hours to go. Successfully activated Positive Train Control on all required routes across the Amtrak system in advance of new regulations. 01:32 (LOSE FILE CHIP) IT'S NOT JUST BUILDINGS -- PUBLIC TRANSIT LIKE AMTRAK HAS BEEN LOOKING AT AIR QUALITY TOO. multi-million-dollar and multi-year project, Amtrak Recognized as One of Americas Best Large Employers. light filter, and we are testing that," said Denise Beck, Marketing and Community Outreach Manager for Greater Portland METRO.METRO has partnered with the University of Southern Maine to carry out the tests on those devices. If another passenger somehow ends up sitting or standing too close to you, politely ask them to moveor, better, move yourself. In Michigan, a clear example is a batch of recently upgraded locomotives and soon-to-arrive, new passenger cars. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Those improvements allowed all Amtrak trains in that stretch to bump up their speeds. WATCH LIVE Chicago & Suburban Cook Co. North Suburbs West Suburbs South Suburbs NW Indiana In the station, Lofgren says you should practice the same kind of social distancing that youd do at, say, the grocery store: Minimize your contact with other people, so if someone is boarding, hang out until theres space for you to safely get on behind them. I would only travel by train right now if I could get a private room she said. "Maine is known as an outdoors place, as a fresh air place, as a natural place.". UPDATE: Train 178 is back on the move and currently operating approx. "I think Maine is very well positioned," Quinn said. Nationwide, Amtrak was on time only 60% to 70% of the time in many states in 2019. By the time I stepped onto the platform in Union Station this time in Los Angeles I was ready to go home, but already missing the train. On top of that, you may have heard that Amtrak recently announced enhanced safety and cleaning measures intended to protect passengers during their rail journeys. Even worse, on the popular route from Chicago to Detroit to Pontiac, on-time performance occurred just 33% of the time. The collision occurred at an unguarded rail crossing on a section of Quarry Road that only serves . Dont let them spoil a trip. For those who can't get a private room, Khabbaza recommended accessing fresh air for improved ventilation, even though Amtrak says all of its trains have onboard filtration systems with a fresh. And keeping conversation to a minimum could also reduce the danger because talking is known to release aerosols that can spread the virus. For homes and many businesses, the solution may be as simple as keeping all the windows open as much as possible. In Vermont, Dr. Arnot advised some of the local school districts on how to improve their air quality. Passengers traveling by Amtrak also must submit a health questionnaire, answering questions such as whether they have experienced COVID-19 symptoms within 24 hours of departure. Shorter ridesespecially those under roughly 15 minutespose a lower risk than long ones. Still, Lofgren reminds us that we need to be vigilant about maintaining six feet of space. Curious what the rest of the train looked like, I put my mask back on and ventured out into the wild, opening the doors between cars by using the trains hands-free, foot-level release button. With mask mandates and capacity limits lifting in Maine on May 24, some experts are warning we need to take a closer look at something they feel has been overlooked in this pandemic: the quality of the air we are sharing inside. Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada took major hits in the two years since COVID-19 pushed much of the world into lockdown mode. Although its already twice the size of a roomette, the bedroom cabins are much more spacious than they appear online. The place is the environment. Amtrak officials documented the late arrivals with detailed records of freight train interference, showing a chronic problem of passenger trains being forced to wait while freight trains crawled ahead. In addition to snagging window seats, bus riders should look for the same safety features they would on a subway: a mask requirement, good ventilation and adequate spacing between passengers. Since then, Amtrak has enhanced both its fleet and travel experiences to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. All of that may, literally, require an act of Congress. I was excited. Most major cities subways and trains constantly recirculate a mixture of fresh air and older air, both of which are pulled through a filter rated on the MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) scale. Anyone needing or choosing to wear one is encouraged to do so. But many planes have excellent high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that capture more than 99 percent of particles in the air, including microbes as SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID. Since then, that number has climbed north of 30% as the calendar moved closer to summer. This is what experts say. THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO: IN HOMES, SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, EVEN PUBLIC TRANSIT -- TO LOWER THE RISK IN FACT: IN A LOT OF CASES -- THE SOLUTION IS SUPER SIMPLE. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. At most, it cuts transmission substantially. He recommends only removing your mask to eat or drink. Silverman is a travel agent, operating a Cruise Planners franchise from her home. A LIVE READING 09:37 FOR MOST OF US -- THE SOLUTION IS LIKELY AS SIMPLE AS OPENING OUR WINDOWS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. UPDATE: Vermonter Train 55 is currently operating approx. Most of these flights occurred early on in the pandemic, however, and in the case of the March 1 flight, masks were likely not worn, the researchers wrote. Is train travel a safer option this holiday? But later reviews of the evidence suggest mass transit systems have not been major drivers of viral spread. Youre in car 31 thats my car! U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak told a U.S. House of Representatives panel on Thursday it expects to be forced to temporarily cut some service in January because of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The great newsfrom an epidemiological, safety, and comfort standpointis that Amtrak is limiting bookings on reserved trains, which will allow for more physical distancing in seating areas. These 3 tools can help you navigate quarantine and testing policies by state, That could mean if you are in a crowded train station, if the train itself has it has a density of people around you whether thats passengers or crew members that could still pose a risk, Suh says. A September report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) examined the coronaviruss spread in cities around the globe that had robust public transit systems. Everything Id read so far about riding Amtrak in the time of COVID-19 seemed to rank long-distance train travel as safe, smart, and dare I say even relaxing. When their recirculation systems are operating, most commercial passenger jets bring in outside air in a top-to-bottom direction about 20 to 30 times per hours. Bacterial co-infection is a major risk factor for death, intensive care unit admission and mechanical ventilation, according to a multi-center, retrospective cohort study published in the journal Critical Care and led by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers.. Coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, has killed more than 6.3 million people worldwide. It sits in the air and moves over time and space," said Dr. Bob Arnot, a longtime medical journalist and infectious disease expert who treated Ebola patients in Africa in the early 2000s. There seemed to be less risk of transmission, however, for people who were seated near windows and doors that could open. The curtain of my cabin was closed, and not wanting me to miss the view, Linda hopped on our cars intercom to make an announcement. App users will also receive boarding gate and track information at select stations so they can head directly to their train. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. COVID-19 Innovative Adaptations As COVID-19 has greatly impacted the transportation industry, Amtrak has had to make some innovative adaptations. Some Maine schools, like in Gorham, have used federal relief bill money to install upgrade their ventilation systems. Gina Suh, head of the Mayo Clinics travel clinic, says train travel isnt too dissimilar from air travel. Suddenly, taking an overnight train from Portland to Los Angeles felt like an adventure. With announcements of our largest order for new trains in decades, the opening of new stations, the addition of new customer services and amenities, and our proposals for new corridor service in up to 160 communities, Amtrak put in motion key initiatives to support an enhanced national rail network capable of serving more people in more places with better service. He has also been recommending face shields to patients. And a Plains teen girl borrowed Jimmy Carters clothes. With flying, COVID risk really comes down to how closely one sits to other people and for how long, whether or not everyone is wearing a mask, and how infectious any passengers are at the time. In late January, airline executives and employees told reporters they welcomed a new executive order by President Joe Biden, who ordered mask-wearing on all airplane flights as well as on other public transit that crosses state lines. If the tests go well, METRO may add the purification to the rest of the fleet.For the buses, ridership is down about 60% from pre-pandemic levels.METRO launched a joint website with regional transit systems to provide information to riders about safety protocols.This summer, expect lots of open windows on the buses too to add extra ventilation, officials said.That, this summer -- and even heading into colder months -- may be the key, according to Dr. Arnot:"Fundamentally you've got to have clean outdoor air, indoors and where could you possibly have better air than the state of Maine. Companies have also implemented rigorous cleaning procedures between flights. We have no middle seats, so each passenger either is seated beside a companion or you have an empty seat next to you.. "I think Maine is very well positioned," Quinn said. For someone like me with immune issues that put them in a higher-risk category for COVID-19, having this option offered an off-load of anxiety. By the time I reached the dining car, I was relieved to see that Sandy, the dining room attendant, was masked and wiping down tables. In theory, at least, traveling by train seems like a good compromise between taking a long car trip (with or without a portable potty) or getting on a disconcertingly crowded airplane. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. Federal law says freight trains must yield to passenger trains when both want to use the same track. "We have been waylaid by the CDC with 'wash all this stuff,'" Dr. Arnot said. Sophie Bushwick is an associate editor covering technology at Scientific American. "With the sort of substandard masks most of us wear, if you don't have good ventilation, I just think you don't have a chance.". Read more about the coronavirus outbreak from Scientific American here. But I reminded myself that I was booked in one of Amtraks private bedrooms, a space where Id have my own sitting area, en suite bathroom with a toilet and shower, a sink, and, when I was ready to call it a night, a bed. For decades since, the system struggled to get funding and to upgrade service on key routes like the Wolverine, Amtraks line that links Chicago to Detroit, then runs north through Oakland County to Royal Oak, Troy and Pontiac. So far on the journey, Id soaked in the wooded landscape of the Pacific Northwest, gluing myself to the window as we snaked through trees already painted with golden yellows, bright oranges, and fiery reds. METRO has partnered with the University of Southern Maine to carry out the tests on those devices. (If you want to take your PPE to the next level, consider adding a plastic face shield to your packing list. (Amtrak declined to answer my inquiries on whether or not this violated their mask policy, but they did say that refusing to wear a mask in a public space will result in prompt removal from the train.). Inside Ground Zero of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Oprah On COVID-19's Deadly Impact on Black America, The Governors Helping Americans Survive COVID. "There is a lot of exchange," said Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which operates the Downeaster. It has installed signs to encourage social distancing in high-traffic areas, such as the stations and cafe cars, where it has also put up plastic barriers at the customer counters. These companies have also stopped offering car pools (except in Ubers case for people who work together), so passengers are only exposed to the driver and anyone in their own party. 5hr 10min late. 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