And, the company's 18,000 employees are required to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing, effective Nov. 1. 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. Companies have also implemented rigorous cleaning procedures between flights. 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.". Amtrak will continue to play an important role in the national transportation network for the next 50 years and beyond by operating a safe, environmentally efficient and fiscally responsible business by providing travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. In 2019, we were selling every seat now were filling only half of each trains capacity, and were strongly encouraging people to sit apart, said Marc Magliari, spokesman for Amtrak. Our editors handpick the products that we feature. Doing so allows outside air to flood in each time the doors open. Riding Amtrak's Northeast Regional service from New York to Boston. When I finally made it to the dining room the next day, after official breakfast hours were over, Sandy and Linda greeted me. Widespread mask use is key, says Lofgren. Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada took major hits in the two years since COVID-19 pushed much of the world into lockdown mode. 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. Katherine Alex Beaven is a Los Angeles-based travel, food and drink, and culture writer. Private Rooms WASHINGTON (AP) The military services are still reviewing possible discipline of troops who refused the order to get the COVID-19 vaccine, defense officials told Congress on Tuesday, and they . This is what experts say. Mask wearing reduces risk and is now mandatory on many forms of transit in the U.S., including New York Citys subway and bus systems, as well as Amtrak trains throughout the country. 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. The internet was spotty at best, forcing me to spend the hours admiring the scenery, reading, and making quick and easy lunchtime friends at my table in the dining room. (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.). All of those situations increase your risk of coming into contact with the virus and picking it up. Public transit systems have also been focusing on the ventilation component. What Is Normal When It Comes to Menopause? Nights, Holidays & Weekends: (800) 562-1904. "Maine is known as an outdoors place, as a fresh air place, as a natural place. Our timing was impeccable and lined up with the sunset. The most important thing we can do to keep passengers and employees safe is the use of face coverings, says Amtraks Kuhnen. Feb. 28, 2023, at 5:33 p.m. Tractor-Trailer Driver Ticketed in Collision With Train. Its the ultimate transient experience: Almost as soon as you see something out the window, its gone, and then everything eventually fades to black. COVID-19 has fast-tracked many innovations already in the works. This summer, expect lots of open windows on the buses too to add extra ventilation, officials said. It found no correlation between mass transit use and transmission of the virus. Feb 28, 2023 (CDN Newswire via Comtex) -- The Global Ventilation Devices Market study has been announced by MarketQuest.biz for 2023-2029. Oh, look at that! Her voice sounded like she had just won the lottery. Since then, Amtrak has enhanced both its fleet and travel experiences to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This will hopefully avoid clusters of people in aisles and at doorways. Keeping the windows open and making sure the air system is set to take in outside air instead of recycling it should reduce the risk. Many of the cities in question required commuters to wear masks. 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. 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. In a letter dated Jan. 22, Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn, who took the top job last spring, sent a letter to each member of Congress, citing Amtraks 50th anniversary this year. That study went on to point out the potential threat existed even with a mask. However, on the routes where the boarding announcements didnt sound as intense about COVID policies, passengers seemed less inclined to follow the rules. Here's how to get better air flow at home, in schools and offices even in gyms to stave off COVID. As the sun set on my first day, I was ready to call it a night. In other words, unless I chose to, I wouldnt have to interact or share space with any other passengers on my 30-hour journey from Portland to Los Angeles. Monitoring carbon dioxide levels, getting more fresh outdoor air in spaces key. (DR BOB ZOOM) 18:02 FUNDAMENTALLY YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE CLEAN OUTDOOR AIR, INDOORS. That [risk] could be mitigated and reduced with mask use, but its still possible [to become infected].. 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. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. "It's as if people were walking into burning buildings and we didn't have smoke detectors", "We know this is an airborne virus. MERV-13 filters are less efficient than HEPA filters, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends them for reducing the number of airborne viral particles. The affected routes include some trains in the Northeast Corridor and a New Orleans route. "We were at 2,000 PPM for the local classrooms here, and we opened the window and we were at 550 PPM," Arnot said.The doctors say the upper limit of any building you would want to be in would be around 800 PPM, measured by CO2 meters that are available online and in most home improvement stores for around $100.Some Maine schools, like in Gorham, have used federal relief bill money to install upgrade their ventilation systems. I wanted to determine if my experience was more the exception or the norm. For decades, improvements crept at the pace of a freight train inching through a switchyard. If the rate of community transmission in your region is low, chances are that taking the occasional taxi or ride-share car is not a huge riskprovided you wear a mask and keep the windows open as much as possible. A looming question is whether once most Americans are vaccinated and people begin to return to flying, can Amtrak maintain its momentum and rebuild its ridership to pre-pandemic levels, then keep it growing. 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. Increased Amtrak Police Department presence in stations and onboard trains to help enforce the federal transportation mask mandate. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted by the Biden Administration and Congress is a historic investment that will benefit customers and communities and prove that Amtrak is an important part of a larger solution to help America tackle the climate crisis, create economic opportunity and expand mobility.. 8 Supporting data . Running on normal schedules are Amtraks other Michigan trains the Blue Water service that links Chicago to Battle Creek, Lansing, Flint and Port Huron; and the Pere Marquette between Chicago and Grand Rapids. 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. 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. If you happen to be seated close to a person who is actively shedding the virus, especially if it is a long flight or that person is not wearing a mask, there is a higher chance that you will get the disease. Some bus companies have installed clear partitions between drivers and passengers. 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. But if a person with the virus is wearing a mask, the face covering will catch those droplets. "We have been waylaid by the CDC with 'wash all this stuff,'" Dr. Arnot said. METRO has partnered with the University of Southern Maine to carry out the tests on those devices. At first, the feeling was confusing and almost unrecognizable, but then it hit me: For the first time in seven months, I wasnt just going somewhere I was traveling. Passenger train operator Amtrak claims to cycle air through cabins 44 times an hour. 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. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. 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. AND WE ARE WORKING WITH USM TO TEST THAT 04:15 IF THE TESTS GO WELL, METRO MAY ADD THE SYSTEMS TO THE REST OF THE FLEET. "Almost no cases came from somebody touching something -- all the time and effort spent washing when it should have been ventilation, number one, and masks, number two.". Amtrak's ridership hit an all-time record nationwide in 2019, then skidded by about 90% in April when cases of COVID-19 began soaring. Una buena ventilacin, . Walking through the rows of roomettes, it appeared that people were taking advantage of a loophole in the mask rule they were maskless while in their rooms as required, but their doors were wide open. According to Amtraks website, it is limiting bookings on reserved trains to allow for more social distancing (family members may still sit next to each other) in addition to carrying out extensive deep cleaning and sanitizing of trains before service. Discover world-changing science. Is train travel a safer option this holiday? 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. As the coronavirus pandemic .css-9cezh6{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#E61957;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-9cezh6:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}rages on around the world, experts reiterate that the safest way to travel is via your own two feetpreferably using them to go on a nice, solitary walk around the block or through the woods. The data emerging from a handful of new research papers show that COVID-19 can build up in poorly ventilated spaces. Its the people in your immediate vicinity that you have to worry about. He acknowledges that the joys of long-distance train travel include being able to wander around, pick up snacks at the dining car, and stretch your legs. 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. Over the past few months, Ive taken four trains over three Amtrak routes, Wunderman told me. At New York Penn Station, Amtrak installed new wayfinding signage and an Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation System in one of the Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning units in the Amtrak. 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. The need to extend safety systems and upgrade more track, officials said. Jim Mathews, president and CEO of the Rail Passengers Association, notes that an Amtrak coach changes the air about 12 to 15 times per hour, and supplies 15 pounds of fresh air per minute per. Al mejorar la ventilacin puede reducir las partculas de virus dentro de su casa y evitar la propagacin del COVID-19. Finally, experts suggest that limiting the length of a ride can also be helpful: 15 minutes on a subway is safer than a multihour train trip. Follow Sophie Bushwick on TwitterCredit: Nick Higgins, Tanya Lewis is a senior editor at Scientific American who covers health and medicine. 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. Inside Ground Zero of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Oprah On COVID-19's Deadly Impact on Black America, The Governors Helping Americans Survive COVID. 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. (If you want to take your PPE to the next level, consider adding a plastic face shield to your packing list. Fresh air is helpful to keep droplets from lingering, but it still won't protect you from a direct hit of a cough or sneeze. 8 less-expensive spring break destinations. It is nearly impossible for drivers and passengers to remain six feet apart in a car, so transmission is definitely possible. I noticed that on the Empire Builder, my attendant was frequently sanitizing the car, my roomette smelled of disinfectant when I boarded, and the conductor sounded very serious about policing passengers about wearing masks., She went on to say that she never saw a room attendant without a mask on, unless they were in their own room with the door closed and even then, they rushed to put on a mask before opening the door for her. Travel on Amtrak to Virginia Wine Expo at the Main Street Station in Richmond, Va. However, the room was almost remarkably dated nostalgic even. Those numbers suggest there could be another travel bump in the next few weeks around Christmas. "Greater Portland METRO has installed high-tech purification systems onboard their new buses. We now understand that smaller airborne particles can spread this virus, so employees are wearing face coverings, and were asking passengers to do so, too.. Customers are assigned specific seats once they board, says Predmore, and they wont be seated next to or facing other passengersunless theyre traveling together with friends or family members. And while safety and sanitization were largely prioritized no matter which train I rode, the experience wasnt uniform. App users will also receive boarding gate and track information at select stations so they can head directly to their train. This past spring the novel coronavirus tore through New York City, reaching a peak of thousands of new cases per day in April. Yep, You Should Actually Get Outside for That Walk, 41 Cloth Face Masks You Can Buy Online Right Now, 50 Family Road Trips The Whole Gang Will Love, How To Deal With Uncertainty During Coronavirus. multi-million-dollar and multi-year project, Amtrak Recognized as One of Americas Best Large Employers. Meanwhile a recent Department of Defense study modeled the risk of in-flight infection using mannequins exhaling simulated virus particles and found that a person would have to be exposed to an infectious passenger for at least 54 hours to get an infectious dose. After locking the door behind me and closing the privacy curtain, I immediately took out my tub of Clorox wipes. Even worse, on the popular route from Chicago to Detroit to Pontiac, on-time performance occurred just 33% of the time. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. With tourism expected to rebound, officials hope to get back to about 60% of pre-pandemic ridership by mid-summer. If you have a FOIA request, please clickhere. "It's not to measure whether you have too much carbon dioxide as any kind of a toxin," Dr. Arnot said. 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. Theres no filtration system in the world that will move air fast enough to get COVID-19 away from you before you can be exposed to it, says Lofgren. As I plopped down on the folded seating bench and pulled out my phone to start taking pictures, I remembered reading about other overnight Amtrak experiences that detailed the freshly disinfected roomettes. Most passengers were respectful of the rules, though there was the occasional person who used this rule as a way to get around wearing a mask for an extended period of time in other sections, like the observation car. While the view itself wasnt breathtaking, I found myself holding my breath. "We're investing in some additional CO2 sensors, we're setting those CO2 sensors to the lowest possible level, which is ensuring that out systems are exchanging air, at the fastest possible rate," Superintendent Heather Perry said in our report on schools last August.PUBLIC TRANSIT ADAPTSPublic transit systems have also been focusing on the ventilation component.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. , on the popular route from Chicago to Detroit to Pontiac, performance. Which train I rode, the Governors Helping Americans Survive COVID Deadly Impact on Black America, the was. You 'VE GOT to have CLEAN outdoor air in spaces key on Amtrak to Wine. Wunderman told me many innovations already in the works a senior editor at Scientific American who covers health medicine. 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